Release from Pain
by Blackrazgriz
Summary: Hatake Kakashi refuses to follow Uchiha Obito in his attempt to rescue Nohara Rin from Iwagakure shinobi. As a result, Rin and Obito are killed, leaving a distraught Kakashi blaming himself for their deaths. Meanwhile, events in Amegakure threaten to provoke a massive change in the history of the shinobi world. Formerly titled "Redemption."
1. Trash

**Chapter 1: Trash**

The light of the rising sun shined on a group of shinobi who were licking their wounds from the grievous battle they had just managed to win. A young woman with purple markings on her cheeks was wrapping a bandage around the arm of a young, silver-haired boy. The silver-haired boy was recovering from a slash wound to his right arm, after failing to kill his opponent with his signature jutsu, Chidori.

"It's pretty much healed completely now," said the young girl with the purple markings. Her name is Nohara Rin. She was the medical ninja for their team. "But if you overdo it, the wounds will open." She was so gentle with her words, as well as her wrapping. It made the silver-haired boy feel comfort and relief.

"Alright." The silver-haired boy said after she finished tending his wounds. His name is Hatake Kakashi. He was just recently promoted to the rank of Jounin. Now he was the commander of the squad that he and Rin were in. He made a mistake when trying to eliminate an enemy with Chidori, and had suffered dearly for it.

Their group also consisted of Namikaze Minato, their jounin sensei, and Uchiha Obito, an idealistic, perpetually late young man. Everyone was packing up their campsite and getting ready to leave for their objective. Kakashi's first mission as a jounin was to destroy Kannabi Bridge, a key route in the Iwagakure war effort. By destroying the bridge, they would have launched Konohagakure's first offensive of the war. They still had their ways to go before making it to the bridge, but they were determined not to let down their village.

"Ok!" Minato said with an energetic smile. "Let's head off!"

"Ok!" All three shouted in unison.

Kakashi's team was deep within hostile territory. It was unknown when an enemy may have ambushed them, so they were alert at all times. The mission was simple. Kakashi's team will launch an assault on Kannabi Bridge and destroy the stronghold, preventing reinforcements from overwhelming the Konoha front. Meanwhile, Minato will engage the enemies from the frontline, diverting attention from the true objective, making it easier to attack the bridge.

"From here, we split into two groups." Minato said after reaching the rendezvous point. Everyone halted their advance and turned their attention towards their sensei. "Everyone do your best."

The entire team looked apprehensive. They were given such an important mission, and nobody here wanted to fail.

"It was only by chance that the enemy yesterday was scouting alone," Minato continued. "From now on it will be team battles…Take care."

"Let's get going…commander." Obito suddenly said, surprising the entire group. Obito was the most vocal against Kakashi position as commander. Just because he was a jounin and a rank higher than he was, does not guarantee his position of leadership. But Konoha's military power was deteriorating briskly recently. The Third Shinobi World War was taxing on resources, and ninja were quickly dying on the battlefield. There was no time to "pick and choose" soldiers that would lead battles.

Kakashi was stunned by Obito's words. He was shocked speechless. Minato and Rin, on the other hand, merely smiled at Obito's willingness to put aside petty rivalries for the bigger picture.

"Right…Let's go!" Minato said enthusiastically.

"Ok!" All of them said. Immediately, they left the vicinity in a chakra enhanced dash. Team Kakashi had a lot of ground to cover in very little time. Minato may be an extraordinary shinobi, but he's only one man. There's a limit to how much and how long he could hold out. A speedy completion of the mission is vital for the stalemate between Iwa and Konoha to break.

After days of travelling through thick forests and across rivers, the team was nearing their objective. Unfortunately, while crossing a small creek, they were sighted by two Iwa shinobi.

"Oi!" said the man with the brown afro. "Mahiru still hasn't returned from scouting…" He was talking to his partner, a stern looking man with the Iwa hitai-ate. The man with the hitai-ate was staring deeply at the Kakashi's team, gauging their strength by first impressions.

"He couldn't have been beaten by those brats though…" The man with the afro said, skeptical of the children's abilities. They looked like upstart wannabes with no experience whatsoever. They found it very difficult to believe that Mahiru would be killed by a bunch of kids.

"I'll go ask them." The man with the hitai-ate said sarcastically. He was really going to kill the children and stop them from doing whatever they were assigned to do. Using chakra, the shinobi with the hitai-ate camouflaged himself, distorting light in a way that did not reflect off his skin and clothing, practically making him invisible.

Acutely, Kakashi noticed the odd sounds of ruffling leaves and displaced water. These were not caused naturally, so he was on full alert. He raised his right arm slightly, signaling both Rin and Obito about potential danger. It appeared that nobody was around to the team, but that was no excuse to drop your guard.

Shortly, the bamboo hanging high above their heads were cut and sent hurdling down to the party. With no time to think, Obito swiftly formed hand signs and placed his hands over his mouth.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" Obito shouted. Obito exhaled a massive fireball that engulfed all the descending bamboo spears. While the bamboo fell harmlessly to the water, the man with the afro decided to show himself in an attempt catch the Konoha shinobi off guard. Kakashi, however, was not easily dissuaded, arming himself with his sensei's gifted kunai.

Immediately, both shinobi engaged in a high speed battle, clashing their kunai with one another. They jumped off the edges of the bamboo shoots, still slashing at each other with their kunai, but to no avail as neither would relent. After one final collision, they jumped away from each other to gain space and calculate their next assault.

"GYAAAAAH," a female voice suddenly screamed. Both Obito and Kakashi turned their heads towards the Rin's location, just to find that she was no longer there.

"We'll look after this one," the ninja with the hitai-ate said, returning to visibility. He held Rin, who was slumped unconscious, between his arms. His partner landed on top of the rock behind him. It was now a hostage situation, one that Kakashi and Obito had no experience with.

"Guh," Obito scowled, cursing at his inability to get Rin out of danger.

"Wait!" Kakashi shouted in a futile attempt to stop the two shinobi. However, the shinobi merely vanished from the battlefield with a shunshin, leaving a dumbfounded Obito and a confused Kakashi in the midst.

Kakashi was seriously weighing his options right now. He was not sure whether to retrieve Rin, since she was the medic of the group, or to continue with the mission. With Obito at his side, he was certain the mission could still go smoothly. But Obito had other plans.

"Dammit!" shouted Obito in frustration. He began to dash after them, but stopped shortly after hearing Kakashi's commanding tone.

"Obito!" Kakashi screamed, managing to stop him before he went too far. "Don't go after them!" He finally came to the conclusion that the mission was far more important than the life of his teammate.

Obito turned his head towards Kakashi, shocked at his order. Rin was their _friend._ Did he not care about her well-being? What might happen to her?

"What?!" Obito yelled furiously. "What the hell are you saying?!" The idea that he would abandon Rin was preposterous to him. He was indignant after Kakashi's decision. "Don't you get it?!"

"Yeah…" Kakashi said trailing off. He took his time to think of the options again. Rin was definitely an asset to his team. But by destroying Kannabi Bridge, they will deal a severe blow against Iwagakure and turn the tide of the war towards their favor. Kakashi was not about to dishonor himself and his family name the same way his father before him did. "The two of us will resume the mission." He said with finality in his voice.

"Rin…what about Rin?!"

"Leave Rin for now." Kakashi said, calmly explaining the mindset of the enemy. "The enemy wants to know our aim. They won't kill her yet. Besides, luckily, Rin's a medical ninja. Even as a prisoner she should be treated well, as long as she looks after the enemy's casualties." Kakashi was more than certain of his hypothesis. Rin was a valuable medic-nin, and if they killed her off immediately they would be missing out on any potential benefits that she can offer to them. "…more importantly, the issue is the enemy discovering our aim. If they find out, they'll go straight to prepare the bridge for an attack. If that happens, the mission will become too difficult."

Despite the logic in Kakashi's details, Obito would have none of it. Slowly, he was becoming livid after hearing Kakashi propose the idea of abandoning Rin. He was letting emotions cloud his better judgment, feeling as though it was the right thing to do to go back for Rin.

"What you're saying doesn't include Rin's safety!" Obito screamed. "If those guys were just unthinking flunkies what would happen then?" Obito refused to accept the idea of abandoning his friend. He was adamant about going back. "More importantly than the mission, we have to rescue Rin!"

Kakashi was silent. He was reevaluating the course of action. Was he absolutely certain that abandoning Rin was the right thing to do? He thought about what a shinobi was. He was an emotionless killer. He was not supposed to think about the wellbeing of his comrade, but rather the success of the mission. That was Kakashi's Nindo.

"As Shinobi…sometimes it's essential to sacrifice your companions for the accomplishment of the mission." Kakashi said, reasserting his own beliefs. "That's a 'Law'. If the mission fails, war will continue. And many more sacrifices will occur." At this point, Kakashi was thinking about sacrificing the few to save the many. It's a difficult mentality to have, but sometimes a leader must make such decisions in order for everyone to prosper. His commitment to the security of his village was far more important than Rin's life.

"That's just speculation!" Obito said in furious disbelief. "Just for that, you'd simply throw away a companion who's been with you thick and thin? When you and I were injured, she saved our lives her medical jutsu! If she hadn't been there we'd be long dead!" He was hoping to play the debt card to make Kakashi feel as if he had a responsibility to save Rin.

But that was quickly discarded by Kakashi's statement. "…that was Rin's duty." Kakashi was correct in saying that. The duty of a medical ninja was to prevent as many casualties as humanly possible. While that was the duty of a medic ninja, they may be incapable of saving every life they come across. Similar to the ordeal that Kakashi and Obito were currently facing. She was held captive, but that was her own fault for not being attentive. They had no obligation to halt the mission to rescue her. A shinobi's duty comes before personal feelings.

Obito clenched his trembling hand into a fist. He was angry, frustrated, infuriated, and all of his emotions were directed towards an apathetic Kakashi. He smashed Kakashi's face with a devastating haymaker, knocking the shocked jounin down to the ground. Kakashi was stunned. He could not believe the _insubordination_ he was receiving from an blind and emotional shinobi.

"I definitely can't stand you!" Obito shouted, still feeling the numbness on his knuckles.

Kakashi just remained silent. He stood up, albeit clumsily due to being in a slight daze, and stared at Obito with enormous killing intent. Obito saw Kakashi's indifferent eyes, the amount of pressure he was emanating just from his stare. Obito's knees started to tremble, and he started began to regret his impulsive decision. Kakashi grabbed the hilt of his sword from the sheath on his back as a sign of intimidation.

"I should kill you here and now for your insubordination." Kakashi said coldly, slowly removing his sword from his sheath. Obito felt a droplet of sweat roll down his face, absolutely mortified by Kakashi's killing intent. Obito may have passion, but he knows how far below he was compared to Kakashi's level. There was a reason why he was promoted to the rank of Chuunin at the age of 6. "…but our village still has use for ninja like you."

Obito gulped. He knew that by laying his hands on his commanding officer, he will be reprimanded for his insubordination. He could be killed for his actions. Such is the life of a shinobi.

"You have two options." Kakashi continued, ignoring Obito's imprudent strike. "You will either join me and destroy the objective as the mission briefing details, or you can leave to rescue Rin by yourself, with no backup whatsoever."

"Is that even a choice?" Obito said angrily. "No matter what you say, I'm going for Rin. I can't just leave her like you could!"

"I'll let you know, if you are somehow successful in your mission, you will still be reported for disobeying orders and assaulting your superiors. There is a very high likelihood that you will not make it out alive from this."

"Are you sure about this?" Obito asked honestly. Right now, he could care less if he was killed in action. He was going to rescue Rin, no matter what happened. He was asking if Kakashi was sure he would not provide support in his endeavor.

"The mission must be completed at all costs." Kakashi said, resolute about his stance. "The moment Rin was kidnapped, she became a liability. Upon successful completion of the mission, we can return here and rescue Rin from her captors."

"That will take too long!" Obito shouted. He wanted to punch Kakashi again, but after that overwhelming display of killing intent, he was certain he would not live after his second assault. "Rin could be KILLED by the time we arrive. Are you willing to place the mission objective over your friend's life?"

Kakashi was silent in deep contemplation. Obito and Rin, he hated to admit, were the closest friends he had in his life. Ever since his father committed Seppuku, the time he spent with Team 7 were some of the happiest he's ever had in his life. Team 7 was a release from all the expectations he was forced to live up too. He secretly enjoyed Obito's perpetual lateness, and Rin's kindness and compassion was nothing short of saintly. The wisdom of Minato was something he looked up to after his father's death.

But his father disgraced himself by saving his friends. He disgraced the village for failing to complete the mission. He disgraced his son through association, and now his son needs to work twice as hard to make up for every mistake his father made. He would be damned if he made the same mistakes as his father. So his decision was set in stone.

"It's a risk I am willing to take." Kakashi simply said.

"…fine then…" Obito said after some serious thinking. This decision will affect the rest of his remaining life, but he had to make it. "From the beginning you and I were like water and oil. I'm going to rescue Rin!" He turned to face away from Kakashi, disgusted by Kakashi's convictions.

"Very well then." Kakashi said. "I wish you the best of luck in your foolish, emotion-driven venture. Hopefully you don't die, so that you could be court martialed when we return to Konohagakure. If you're lucky, the council will have mercy and let you die a fast, painless death."

Obito said nothing. He just stood where he was and took what Kakashi said to heart. If he could save Rin, the woman he loved, then it did not matter what happened to him. That was what he ultimately resolved to do.

"Kakashi…those in the ninja world who break the rules and regulations are called trash…" he paused to let the words hit Kakashi. He then turned his head towards Kakashi, passion burning in his eyes. "…But those who don't care about their companions are even worse trash."

Kakashi did take those words to heart. Was he worse than trash?

"Anyway, if I'm that kind of trash, I'll break the rules!" Obito continued, his voice brimming with conviction. "If that's not being a true shinobi…then I'll crush that idea of shinobi!"

"Impressive ideals, Obito." Kakashi said after he deemed Obito finished with his speech. "However, in this world, those that do not have the power to back their ideals up will never get to see their dreams realized." He clenched his fists tightly and stretched it out towards Obito, as if proving a point. "Your words mean nothing to me. Prove it to me. Prove it to me, through your actions, that you have what it takes to change our world. That way, when you die, I'll be more than happy to pick up from where you left off."

Kakashi watched as Obito walked away, readying himself for an unknown confrontation. When he confirmed that Obito has left the area, Kakashi turned and continued advancing to his objective. He wasted enough time arguing semantics. He had a war to win, after all.

* * *

_Kannabi Bridge_

Kannabi Bridge was a massive stronghold, 50 feet above a fast flowing river. It was approximately 200 feet wide and about 3000 feet long, making transportation of troops and supplies a relatively smooth process. It was garrisoned by 4 watch towers 23 feet high, with shinobi entering and exiting at a regular basis. Kannabi Bridge was not in use at the moment, but the amount of enemy sentries patrolling the area was staggering. It seemed as though a platoon was kept to guard the area, far too much for Kakashi to handle on his own.

Kakashi knew the limits of his own abilities. Although he was a gifted genius, he could not possible begin to engage all these enemies at once. Kakashi estimated that there were 50 sentries on patrol on the bridge, and another 10 sentries on each of the guard towers. Hopefully Rin does not give away the plans for our assault; otherwise the odds would be so far beyond his favor that it would be suicide to attempt to attack.

The element of surprise was in Kakashi's favor. Cloaked by thick trees, Kakashi was all but invisible to the watch guards stationed at the towers. Using this advantage, he began to calculate an action plan to destroy the Kannabi Bridge without alerting the sentries to his position. If only Obito was here with him, this would have been no problem at all. But Obito had to be over-emotional and chose to go after Rin. Such foolhardy actions are not fitting of a shinobi. If Obito somehow makes it out alive, he will definitely be reprimanding him for his actions.

Kannabi Bridge was a large wooden structure. He cursed the fact that Obito was not with him again. Obito was well versed in his Clan's Katon techniques, which would have been very effective against this wooden obstacle. Kakashi's own elemental affinity was that of Raiton, so he was in no way fit to handle the task. Wood was not a natural conductor of electricity, so he could not simply take down the entire bridge with a Chidori.

"_You shouldn't use that jutsu again."_ Minato's words of advice were ringing in Kakashi's mind. "_A thrust all concentrated on one point. Of course you have the destructive power and speed, but…because the speed of your movements are so fast, you can't see your opponent's counter." _Kakashi learned that lesson the hard way, when fighting the Iwa scout earlier today. Although he annihilated 18 mud clones in a single run through, Kakashi had no way of defending himself against the scout's sudden counterattack. If Minato did not arrive in time to grab Kakashi out of harm's way, he would have surely died.

Chidori was an incomplete technique, Kakashi had to agree. However, that does not completely devoid it of its uses. Its destructive power was devastating, on par with Minato's own Rasengan. Ironically, both jutsu were incomplete as Minato had yet to incorporate his wind elemental affinity into the technique, boosting its power astronomically. Minato tried to teach Rasengan to Kakashi, in an attempt (lazily) to get his student to learn the secret of assimilating his elemental affinity to the spiraling sphere. But lightning was too chaotic to smoothly conform to the already hectic chakra rotation of the Rasengan. That was what led Kakashi to create the Chidori.

With the power of Chidori, Kakashi was certain he can destroy the guard towers if he hit it at the support beams. The destruction of the tower would provide a nice distraction while Kakashi moved onto his primary objective. Regardless of the potential of the plan, the fact of the matter was that there were far too many sentries posted on the bridge. Kakashi would surely be caught before he can launch the attack, and he would be placed in an impossible situation.

Another potential use for Obito has gone with his idiotic decision to haphazardly save Rin from her captives. Obito would have surely provided ample distraction for Kakashi to bash the towers. He will have to resort to other source. Fortunately, his father had passed on the Hatake Ninken to Kakashi before he committed Seppuku. Kakashi clenched his fists at the thought of his father. How could he have committed suicide like that? It was understandable that he saved his teammates from death by jeopardizing the mission. But why did he have to break under the pressure of overwhelming disgrace? Why could he not handle it and commit suicide, leaving Kakashi all to himself?

Kakashi's mother had died early on in his childhood. His father was all he had to take care of him. Kakashi had looked up to his father as an idol. His father was skilled, wise, and loving. He would never abandon his friends and comrades, and he lived by his word until the day he died. But why did he have to die in such a way? To Kakashi, that was the ultimate betrayal. By committing suicide, he sent a dreadful message to his son; if you cannot cope with the stress of any situation, just end your own life. Kakashi was torn by what his father had basically taught him with his death. He did not want to just die; he wanted to keep living, no matter what happened to him. Ever since his father's death, Kakashi strove to be everything his father was not. He wanted to forget all the lessons his father had given him while he grew up, and he wanted to make a name for himself. No longer would he be known as "the son of the White Fang of Konoha."

Yet, despite the flaws that his father suffered from, he did leave some useful items and techniques around for Kakashi to inherit. Better to use useful items than to leave them to waste. The summoning contract for his Ninken was one of the useful items left behind by his deceased father. His sword was the other. A rather sharp sword with the length of 2 feet, Kakashi could easily get into the guard of his enemies and cut them down where they stand. Despite the disadvantage of the short length, the sword flowed smoothly with Kakashi's taijutsu, making it a lethal combo for any engagement.

Kakashi pulled out the summoning contract from his item pouch. Biting his thumb to release some blood, he did some hand signs before smacking his palm to the ground.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Kakashi silently shouted, trying to prevent possible patrols from hear him. In a puff of smoke, 8 dogs appeared by Kakashi's side. They were all rather impressive dogs, well-built and muscular, raised for combat by the Hatake family. All of the dogs could speak the tongue of man, but the smallest one was the de facto leader and as such spoke for them.

"Well what do we have here?" the dog said, stretching his four legs. "What's up shrimp? I'm Pakkun, the leader of this group of Ninken. These are all my buddies: Bull, Urushi, Shiba, Bisuke, Akino, Uunei, and Guruko.

"Well met," Kakashi said, not surprised that he was talking to dogs. This was the first time he had actually summoned the dogs. His father merely taught him the seals. He did not summon them in front of Kakashi before he died. It would have been useful to establish a relationship with the summons before actually summoning them for the first time.

"So kid, how's Sakumo doing? Not taking up the drink is he now?" Pakkun laughed, but Kakashi was somber. Kakashi was just staring at the floor, fingernails digging into his palm.

"My father is dead," Kakashi announced to the dogs, who started to whimper at the sad news of their master's death. "I will be your new master. From here on in I don't want to hear anything relating to my father, understood?"

"But kid, he's your father!" Pakkun tried to reason. "He should've been with you thick and thin!"

"We have something we agree on. He should've been with me thick and thin." Kakashi said coldly. "My father is a coward. He killed himself to escape disgrace. He left me to fend for myself, instead of braving the harshness of the verbal assaults."

"I'm sure your father me-"

"I said do not talk to me about my father!" Kakashi slammed his fist on the ground, but then began to regain his cool. Ninja are not supposed to express their emotions during missions, or in any part of their lives. He was not about to lower himself to the standards of Obito. "I apologize for the outburst, it was uncharacteristic of me."

Pakkun opened his mouth, but decided to let it slide. Obviously Kakashi was conflicted with the death of his father. He did not know who he was anymore, as he tried to separate himself from the path that his father took.

"Let's get back on track." Kakashi said, with all the dogs turning their attention towards the 13-year old boy. "Like I said, from here on out, I will be taking care of you. I'm sure that _he_ made sure you guys were in topnotch shape for missions and assignments. I will take the reign from where _he _stood, and raise you guys properly." Every time Kakashi mentioned his father's presence, his tone was filled with scorn. In spite of Kakashi's humble intentions when it comes to the care of his new Ninken, the dogs were worried that his hatred of his father will hinder him from provide adequate service to the dogs.

"…Alright. We'll leave you in your care." Pakkun said apprehensively. He was sure that Kakashi would be a good owner to them, even if he despised his dad.

"Thank you very much." Kakashi said, bowing low to the dogs. "Now, on to business. Your first assignment is today, here and now." Kakashi explained the layout of Kannabi Bridge to the Ninken, who listened attentively. He described the structure of the Bridge, the defenses and his plans for the destruction of the compound. "Now, in order for me to take down the towers, I need a feint maneuver. I want Bull, Urushi, Akino and Bisuke to engage the enemy, while Shiba, Guruko and Uuhei place explosive tags on the rest of the towers. Do not place the tags until I have destroyed the closest tower to our position. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have one." Pakkun said sarcastically. "What's my role in this?"

"Pakkun, you are with me. As soon as the tags place on the towers, you and I need to go under the bridge. An assault on the top of the bridge is not going to demolish it. Kannabi bridge is supported by four massive support beams located at the bottom of the bridge. If we destroy those beams, Kannabi Bridge will crumble on itself and fall into the raging rivers."

"Sounds pretty dangerous kid." Pakkun said, contemplating the battle plan. "Yeah, this sounds like it would work, but can you really go under the bridge?"

"I've completed my chakra control exercises years ago Pakkun." Kakashi reassured the skeptical dog. "I've already finished tree climbing, water walking, water rolling, and waterfall climbing. I'm pretty sure I can handle standing upside down under the bridge."

"Pretty impressive kiddo. I'm sure your dad is proud, wherever he is." Pakkun said, intentionally pushing Kakashi's buttons. Kakashi threw him a glare with the most intense killing intent he could muster. "Don't even bother kid. Your glare doesn't even compare to your dad's. You still got a long way to go before you could ever reach his level."

That statement brought Kakashi's hopes down a bit. He was trying his hardest to stray away from his father. He had just become a jounin, one of the youngest in Konoha's history. He's battled and killed many Ninja since he was promoted to Chuunin at the age of 6. Yet, despite all of his accomplishments, he still could not compare to his father? As much as he hated his father, the White Fang's skill was a good measuring stick to test his potential. If he "doesn't even compare," then he is not performing as well as he should.

Kakashi shook his head. He was still young, and he had a long ways to go before he was officially an adult. He will surpass his father, make no mistake about it. Right now, however, he had a mission to accomplish.

"Alright, everyone knows their objectives, correct?" Kakashi asked. All the dogs barked in agreement. "Excellent. Now let's get started. This bridge is not going to destroy itself."

* * *

One of the guards had a seriously bored look on his face. He could not believe that he had to get the ultra-mundane sentry post on the bridge? 'I mean, what are the chances that some stupid Konoha punk comes around attempting to destroy this place? I mean, we have a fucking army over here. Nobody in the right fucking mind would be suicidal enough to assault the bridge head on, especially by themselves? Well, maybe if the person was armed with at least 8 Ninken and probably was Lightning affiliated, maybe. But, what are the chances?'

"Hey buddy," said one of the Iwa shinobi. "Yo, I had the most amazing masturbation session this morning man. It was everywhere dude!"

"Holy fuck bro, why the fuck are you telling me this shit," the other Iwa shinobi said, disgusted at his partner's habits. "Keep that shit all to yourself man?"

"Well, you gotta 'relieve tension' from the battlefield after all, am I right?" the masturbatory Iwa shinobi explained. "I mean, we are in _so much danger _right now. We totally gonna be attacked by a Konoha jounin today. That jounin's probably 13 years old and covers his face with a mask like some sorta stupid-looking badass wannabe!"

Both of the shinobi laughed at each other's jokes. They then clapped each other's hands. To the horror of the other Iwa shinobi, he realized that he may have clapped the hand that the man used to 'relieve tension.' He poured an entire bottle of rubbing alcohol to rid himself of the grotesque feeling.

"Chill out bro, I'm a lefty." He said, conveniently leaving out the fact that he was actually ambidextrous.

The chilling sounds of inhumane screams suddenly filled the airspace, and both Iwa shinobi arrived to the scene of the noise. To their surprise, one sentry was lying on his back, with his entire right arm removed from his shoulder and blood spouting from the wound.

"…G-guys…gaaaah!" the man screamed, coughing up blood. "…w-were under attack…uuuh" The man's eyes rolled behind his head, and his neck abruptly went flaccid as his muscle and skeletal structures gave out.

More screams occupied the air as Ninken unexpectedly assaulted the bridge. These dogs were massive. Gargantuan. They tackled, bit, and crushed every and all Iwa shinobi they came across, and the Iwa ninja could do nothing but flee in horror at the might of the Ninken.

Just then, the masturbatory Iwa shinobi was harshly tackled to the ground. A stunned partner stood paralyzed as he watched the massive pit bull dig his canines inside the left shoulder of the screaming shinobi. With a large amount of force, the pit bull ripped the arm off of his prey, to the extreme dismay of the shinobi. Fainting from the shock of witnessing his own dismemberment, the pit bull proceeded to lift the shinobi in the air and shake him wildly before tossing him to a group of incoming attack sentries. The pit bulled then turned to the dazed partner, baring his fangs at the helpless ninja. The ninja noticed that his pants were wet, probably from all the urine he was holding in.

"…Fuck…"

* * *

The assault was going smoothly as planned. In fact, it was going excellently. Nobody expected to be assaulted that day, especially with the numbers that Iwa contained. Kakashi gambled at this fact, hoping that the shinobi would be overconfident at their own strength. When he heard the first bloodcurdling scream from the initial assault, he assumed that he was right about his prediction. The crescendo of shrieks that followed suite solidified his calculation.

The Ninken were utterly decimating the enemy force at the bridge. Of course, no one expected to be attacked by dogs, so when the assault gradually gained steam, enemies were abandoning protocol and running for the hills. If you place an unknown factor inside an ordered environment, the only thing that results is unprecedented chaos. Kakashi palmed his face at the sight of this horrendous display. In the face of inevitable death, people tend to run away rather standing and fighting. These disgraceful Iwa shinobi were proof of that.

It was time to commence phase two of the plan. While Bull and the others were proving to be formidable, the longer they stalled the more of an opportunity the enemy would have to regroup and retaliate. So Kakashi had to increase the amount of chaos. Rapidly forming three hand signs, Kakashi unleashed a torrent of electric chakra from his left hand, supported by his right arm. Completing the Chidori, Kakashi was ready to destroy the first of guard towers.

Kakashi took off in an unprecedented amount of speed. It was difficult for the sentries posted on the top of the towers to see anything other than a blue blur jetting through the forest, but they were preoccupied in attempting to halt the relentless onslaught of the 4 attacking Ninken.

Kakashi aimed his Chidori at one of the support beams of the tower. With a stabbing motion, he thrust his electricity infused left hand through the wooden structure, utterly decimating it. He destroyed a massive chunk of the beam, and the three other beams could not handle the loss of support holding the tower up. The Iwa shinobi felt a large rumble from the base of the tower, and then the tower began to lean towards the edge of the bridge. The tower collapsed under its own weight, falling into the ravine that had a fast flowing river. The Iwa shinobi could do nothing as they crashed out of the windows of the tower and began freefalling to their eventual demise. The tower itself crumpled into pieces every time it impacted the walls of the ravine, splintering it to smaller pieces that also fell towards the river.

The Iwa shinobi looked dumbfounded at the sudden collapse of one of their towers. They could not even see the perpetrator as he (or it) disappeared immediately after disposing of the tower. They soon realized that this attack was a calculated assault. Realizing this fact, they cursed their own arrogance before the Ninken resume tearing them asunder.

Three new Ninken entered the battlefield, carrying large explosive tags in their mouths. The Iwa shinobi posted at the remaining towers tried to snipe the dogs before they could complete their objective, but the Ninken were simply too fast for an arrow to accurately hit. Moving in a random, sporadic fashion, they weaved through enemy arrows and offensive, long-ranged jutsu and managed to reach the base of all four of the towers. Placing the 20-second delay tags on each beam of the beams of the towers, the Ninken ran as quickly as they could before the wooden structures became a fireworks display.

Simultaneously, all three towers exploded in a magnificent fashion. The burning carcasses of wood all fell in different directions, with one falling into the ravine and the other falling towards the forest. The last tower fell on the bridge itself, crushing to death several fleeing Iwa shinobi. The force of the impact was not enough to destroy the bridge, however, as the bridge's support structure was designed to take megatons of pressure. If Kakashi was not so busy trying to destroy it, he would marvel at the ingenuity of the bridge's design and efficiency.

The bridge was beginning to catch fire from the explosions. The confused Iwa shinobi began to scatter about, trying their hardest not to be caught in the raging inferno, or the jaws of one of the Ninken. After completing their assignment, Shiba, Guruko and Uuhei rejoined their comrade in attacking fleeing or fighting Iwa ninja.

It was now time to initiate the final step of the assault. Kakashi jumped out to the wall of the ravine, then started to dash towards the massive support beams under the bridge. The beams were so large that they all needed multiple explosive tags placed on them in order to even dent them. Kakashi finished placing on his two beams. These tags had a 3 minute delay, enough time for them to return above the bridge and clear the area. He waited for Pakkun to finish his end of the job.

"Hey, kid," Pakkun had said. "I finished placing the tags-" He could not finish his sentence as he was pierced through his stomach by a shinobigatana.

"Pakkun!" Kakashi screamed as he unsheathed his blade and rushed blindly at his new enemy.

"Hmph." The Iwa shinobi said. "You underestimate use, brat. You think we didn't consider that the underbelly of the bridge?" With a quick swiping motion of his blade, Pakkun's body was launched out and falling to the river, only to dispel a couple of seconds later.

Kakashi could feel the rage welling up inside of him. He knew a shinobi should not lose himself to his emotions, but he desperately wanted to stab the bastard in the face for what he did to Pakkun. He promised his Ninken that he would take good care of them, and he just let one of them die right before his eyes.

After a stare-off, both Kakashi and the shinobi threw shuriken at each other. All the shuriken intercepted at midpoint and fell into the river. Kakashi dashed at the enemy shinobi, attempting to vertically slash at the guy's face. The man parried with his shinobigatana, and followed up with a fist to Kakashi's gut. Kakashi spun around to avoid the attack, but the man expected that maneuver and smashed his pelvis with a roundhouse kick. Kakashi stumbled a bit before he regained his composure. He grabbed a paper bomb, ignited it and tossed it at the shinobi. The shinobi back-flipped to avoid the explosive radius of the paper bomb and subsequently tossed some kunai at Kakashi, who deflected it with his blade.

Abruptly, large explosions came from all 4 corners of the bridge. In his haste to attack the shinobi that killed Pakkun, he absentmindedly forgot about the charges that were placed. Very rookie mistake; this is why shinobi do not lose themselves in their emotions.

With the support beams destroyed, the bridge had possible way of balancing its extreme wait. Large cracks started to violently race down the middle of the bridge, and within seconds the entire bridge complex had collapsed on itself. Kakashi and the shinobi were both trying to escape the destruction of the bridge, but they were too slow. As the bridge completely was demolished, it started to fall towards the river, taking Kakashi and the shinobi with it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" both ninja screamed, awaiting their inevitable death. In a flash of yellow light, Minato was right below him, holding tightly to Kakashi. He quickly used his infamous Hiraishin no Jutsu to instantaneously teleport the both of them out of harm's way, leaving an infuriated Iwa shinobi falling to his death.

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK KK!" the shinobi screamed before he landed on a raised rock stalactite, impaling him through his right lung.

* * *

_Outskirts of Kannabi Bridge_

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes. He had a horrible headache, considering the events that occurred today. He had destroyed an entire enemy stronghold by himself (with the help of his newly adopted Ninken). There were so many explosions, so many crumbling towers, that all the noise finally made an impact on Kakashi's psyche. He then suddenly remembered Pakkun, how he was impaled by the enemy's shinobigatana. He was very upset. That was one of the things his father had left behind for him, and one of his new Ninken had just been killed in the line of action.

"Kakashi, that was some incredible work you pulled out there," a blond older man said, smiling at the masked boy. Kakashi looked around to see where the voice was coming from, and he found his sensei sitting on the top of a boulder, eating his cup ramen and gazing at the moonlight. "Honestly, single-handedly destroying a bridge swarming with enemy troops? For a 13 year old jounin, you have a lot of spunk." Minato hiraishin'd next to the dazed Kakashi, who could barely remember the events that occurred in the last couple of hours.

"Sensei…thank you…" Kakashi said honestly. He had not expect to actually complete the mission. Obito-

He suddenly remembered. Obito had left him to find Rin. Rin was kidnapped and she needed to be rescued. Kakashi tried to get back up, but his wound from earlier was opening up again, so he had to take it a little easier.

"Relax Kakashi," Minato said, soothing his student tension. "You need to rest. You assaulted a stronghold by yourself, so you must be feeling fatigued. At your current state, if you tried to rescue Rin and Obito, you would only be killed by the enemy." Minato guess what got Kakashi over the edge. Kakashi was all alone during the battle of Kannabi Bridge. Something must have happened to them during their travels. Most likely an enemy ambush.

"But sensei, if we don't hurry, they could die!" Kakashi said, showing genuine concern for both of them. Pakkun's death turned something on inside Kakashi's head: death was real and it is closer than you can possible imagine. Yes, he walked in and discovered the corpse of his hanging father. But he had not seen him die. Watching someone close to you die is far more eye-opening then hearing about it or seeing it in a couple of days.

Suddenly, Minato started laughing. Kakashi was confused at his sensei's behavior. Rin and Obito's lives were on the line and his sensei decides to choose _now _to laugh it off?

"What's so funny?" Kakashi asked agitated.

"Oh, it's nothing," Minato said. "Only this morning, you were spouting that whole 'shinobi must listen to the rules' nonsense. Now you are worried sick about the wellbeing of your comrades."

Kakashi thought on what Minato had just said. It was true; he was losing himself in his emotions. Not only was Rin kidnapped and Obito gone missing, but Pakkun was killed right before him. The ideal shinobi would not even waiver after all these facts, but Kakashi was slowly losing himself. He was getting angry and worried, emotions that a shinobi should care less about. He managed to successfully complete the mission he was handed, but at the cost of his entire team and a prized gift. Kakashi looked down to his trembling hands. What exactly was a shinobi? What should a shinobi do at these times? What would his father have done?

Kakashi thought back on his father again. He had saved his teammates by botching an important mission. That was not what a shinobi should do. Yet, Kakashi is slowly starting to doubt that. Maybe his father did do the right thing. Maybe acting on emotions is not all that bad.

Kakashi bit his thumb and did the hand signs for Kuchiyose no Jutsu. 7 Ninken appeared from a puff of smoke. Kakashi was a little saddened to see that Pakkun was not amongst the Ninken, but that was the unfortunate reality of life; people die, and you have to move on in order to become stronger. He took out Rin's medical bag from his item pouch and gave it to the dogs. Sniffing the pouch for a lingering trace of Rin's scent, the Ninken all barked when they found trails.

"Good. Now, follow her scent and find her location. Report back to me when you have an affirmative area. Understood?" All the dogs barked in agreement. Then Kakashi frowned. "Guys…I'm sorry I couldn't save Pakkun…I was too weak…"

"Boss, these things happen," Bull, the large pit bull and new de facto leader, said. "Pakkun was a Ninken. He was willing to sacrifice his life for the accomplishment of the Hatake family missions. We all are." All of the dogs began to wag their tails, as if saying that they would be willing to die for Kakashi.

This display of loyalty comforted Kakashi. "Thanks, guys. But I won't let Pakkun's sacrifice be in vain. I will get stronger, so that none of you will die. Now go, my teammates need your help!"

All of the dogs dashed off towards the forest, disappearing as silhouettes in the dark night.

'Hey, Sakumo. I wonder what you would think of your son if you were still alive, huh?' Minato thought pleasantly as he saw the budding relationship between him and his Ninken. 'He surely would have made you very proud.'

* * *

Minato and Kakashi were tree hopping at speeds faster than they have ever gone. Minato would have simply warped to Obito and Rin's position, but they did not have his special kunai, and he did not want to place his seal on allies without their consent, so he had to resort to tree hopping. Time was of the essence; if the two were not fast enough, Obito and Rin may have been killed. Minato was usually calm and composed, but he did not wish to see two of his students die. He loved all of his students equally, and valued their camaraderie, even in the happy-go-lucky moments.

Kakashi, on the other hand, was absolutely frantic. As the leader of the mission, his teammates' lives were at his hand. He did not wish to see his entire team break apart at his very first leadership assignment. He had to rescue them, no matter what the cost.

Shiba was the one to discover the location of Rin and Obito. It was sealed off, so he could not enter the vicinity, but he could smell the decomposition of blood heavy in the air and was extremely worried about the possibilities. So he ran to Kakashi as fast as he could to warn him about what may be in store.

Kakashi and Minato arrived in front of a cave that was blocked by an immobile seal. The seal prevented the boulder from being moved from its position. Fortunately, Minato was gifted in fuuinjutsu, and the seal attached to the boulder was elementary. In a few minutes, Minato managed to remove the seal and the boulder slid from its place. Immediately, the two dash quickly through the hallway. The smell of blood permeated the area, making the both of them nervous. Was it the blood of Rin and Obito, or the blood Iwa shinobi that kidnapped Rin?

After making a final left turn, the two of them stumbled on the most gorily horrific scene Kakashi had ever seen as a shinobi. It was too much to bear, and Kakashi collapsed on his knees in extreme sorrow. Kakashi was holding himself up using his hands, but the intensity of the situation was too much for Kakashi to bear, and he could not help but stream tears at his own failure. Minato cursed under his breath for his inability to provide support for his team, and dug his nails deep into his palm, as blood began to flow out of the self-inflicted wound.

Obito laid on floor in two half. He was slashed diagonally down from his left shoulder to his right arm, and his lower intestines were oozing out of the slash wound. It seemed that the Iwa shinobi did not have enough fun, as his legs were also missing. Bull found a leg thrown casually across the room, while another leg was found floating on a pond of water. Obito's eye sockets were empty, and his mouth gaped in what Kakashi had assumed was unprecedented horror at his demise. He was lying on top of a puddle of dry blood, indicating he was killed a long time ago.

Rin was in a worse state. Her eyes looked dazed, as if she was trapped in a genjutsu before she died. Her throat was slit, and her entire torso was red from the blood that gushed out of her jugular. Her shirt was forcibly torn apart, as her small, perky breasts were visible to all, albeit covered in her blood. Her pants were forced down below her knees. Trails of dry seminal fluids were exuding out of her genitalia, which meant that she was raped before they killed her.

Kakashi was slamming his fists on the ground, tears uncontrollably gushing out of his eyes. He failed again. He couldn't protect Pakkun, and now his best friends were laid right in front of him, disrespected before they met horrible deaths. Kakashi couldn't do anything to stop this. He was the one that allowed Obito to walk to his death.

"It's all my fault!" Kakashi screamed, chocking on his own tears. "I should have gone with Obito when he left to save Rin, but I had to focus on the stupid mission!" He was really regretting the shinobi code now. Why did he have to lead his life following a bunch of codes that expected men to be machines? Kakashi could not truly kill his heart to become the ideal shinobi. In the end, he was just like his father, but he was worse than his father. At least his father risked his life to save his comrades. Kakashi threw the lives of his comrades away for the fulfillment of his mission.

"That's enough Kakashi!" Minato's voice snapped, bringing Kakashi back into reality. "This is war, people that we truly care about die and there is nothing that we can do about it. What's past is prologue and we can't live our lives sulking over our regrets."

Kakashi stopped slamming his fists into the ground. He turned his head to look at his sensei, but what he saw surprised himself. The usually calm and collected Minato that always reassured him was crying just as hard as he was. Minato did not chock on his words like Kakashi, but he definitely shared the same sentiments about the fate of his students.

Minato wiped the tears from his eyes and straightened himself out. "Right now, we have a new objective. The enemy is escaping with Obito's Sharingan." Presumably, during the fight Obito had awakened his Sharingan. That was the only reason that his eyes were missing from their sockets. "We cannot allow the enemy to retreat with Sharingan in tow. We must pursuit and eliminate the target before they can enter Iwa territory. Do you understand the mission parameters?"

Kakashi wiped his tears with his forearm. Calling forth his Ninken once again, he had them sniff Obito for a scent to trail. Once they found the scent, they immediately rushed of towards the direction of the scent. Kakashi got up and walked towards Obito's corpse. He grabbed the broken goggles of his deceased teammate and wore it across his neck. Kakashi thought that he was going to reprimand Obito for his overly reckless actions when attempting rescue Rin. He never honestly thought that Obito would be killed in action. Now, the only thought circulating around Kakashi's mind was honoring the memory of his brave, fallen friend. He could not make amends with him during his life, but he will not allow his life to have died in vain. Wearing the goggles over his neck like a proud accessory, Kakashi could feel an unwavering resolve flow through his consciousness.

"Understood." Kakashi said, with full conviction in his voice.

* * *

"Wow, I cannot believe our luck!" said the Iwa shinobi with an afro.

"Yeah, no kidding!" the shinobi with the hitai-ate replied. "How would have thought that one of the brats we came across with was an Uchiha! He just so conveniently activated his Sharingan too. Too bad he was pretty damn easy, I wanted to kick his ass some more!"

"Relax bro," said the afro ninja. "When we present these eyes to the Tsuchikage, we would be paid three times worth the normal S-rank missions. We would definitely be swimming in dough!"

"Honestly, I didn't think anything would have come out of this war," said the hitai-ate ninja. "I still can't believe Mahiru was killed by those runts man."

"Yeah, no kidding…" the afro ninja said, with a solemn look on his face. "Dammit man, he was a good drinking buddy." Both of the Iwa ninja took their time to reminiscence on their good friend. They really did miss Mahiru, even though he was kind of an arrogant loudmouth.

As they continued to remember their good friend, the shinobi with the hitai-ate was slammed harshly to the nearest tree by a large pit bull.

"The fuck?" said the man with the afro. Sensing impending doom, he rapidly tilted his head to the left to narrowly avoid a large, yellow kunai.

"Shit, how did they find us?" asked the man with the hitai-ate. It then clicked on him: scent. He was attacked by a pit bull, and dogs have extraordinary olfactory senses. "Fuck, I'm going camo!"

"No, DON'T!" screamed the afro shinobi, but it was already too late. Just because the hitai-ate shinobi was invisible, did not mean he completely vanished from the face of the earth. He retreated behind a tree to regain his bearings, when 6 dogs erupted from inside the ground and crunched on his flesh. He was completely immobilized, remembering that the dogs could still smell him even if they can't see him.

"I'm a fucking idiot…" the man with the hitai-ate said. Unable to move because of the 6 dogs chewing him to death, he just resigned himself to his fate when he heard the battle cry of a young kid. Kakashi was gaining speed by dropping, his father's blade in hand. Screaming as loud as he could, with nothing but the shinobi's death in his thoughts, he grasped the blade and thrust it right through the man's skull. The added force of gravity that boosted the killing power of the thrust caused the backside of the man's head to burst as the blade exited from that area. The dogs dispelled immediately after they helped hand down the finishing blow, but Kakashi was not through with his vengeance.

"No, Taiseki!" the afro shinobi screamed. He was all alone. But he could still deal with that brat-

An arm unexpectedly penetrated his chest. The afro shinobi took a couple of seconds to take in this new information before he died. He did not even scream. Minato removed his arm from the back of the dead shinobi, and proceeded to shake off all the blood that stained his sleeve.

"Always watch your back." Minato said to no one in particular. Minato knew that his enemy was dead, and that he wouldn't heed his advice, but he wanted to mock the enemy, after what they horrifically did to Obito and Rin.

Minato made his way to Kakashi and saw that he was punching the face of his deceased opponent. He kept punching him, hoping that he would feel the pain, but when Taiseki did not scream in agony (because he was dead), Kakashi became more frustrated and continued the flurry of punches. His fist was completely covered in Taiseki's blood, and Taiseki's face looked fractured and unrecognizable. Yet, Kakashi continued, unsatisfied with his vengeance. He winded one punch far and tried to deliver, but it was caught by Minato.

"He won't feel anything anymore Kakashi" Minato reassured him. "He's dead. He can't feel anything anymore." Kakashi looked at Minato eerily, and then started to cry. All of the emotions he stored after the suicide of his father came streaming down like a torrent. Everyone that he actually cared for was dead, except for his sensei. It was too much for him to bear. The shinobi rules and laws were superficial constructs that did not take into account the experiences of each individual person. He understood now why his father did the things he did, and Kakashi no longer hated him for it.

"C'mon, we need to retrieve the Sharingan and return to base." Minato told Kakashi. Kakashi nodded and was searching the corpse of the Iwa shinobi for Obito's Sharingan. When they did came across it, he placed the container in his item pouch, next to Rin's medicine bag and Minato's special kunai. He will no longer be trash, Kakashi vowed.

* * *

In a cave not too far from Kannabi Bridge, an old man was watching the events of the battle occur with interest. He had sensed the presence of another Uchiha in the vicinity, and was hoping to persuade him to taking up his reigns. So he decided to observe the actions of the Uchiha and determine his worth. The old man became very worried, however, as the Uchiha and his partner went separate ways. He called for a White Zetsu, which immediately came to his side.

"Madara-sama, what is it that you require from me?"

"Observe the Uchiha with the goggles," Madara commanded. Notify me on any complications.

"At once, Madara-sama." Just as White Zetsu was about to leave, Madara gave him a strict warning.

"Zetsu, you know you are incapable of fighting. If the Uchiha somehow engages an enemy, do not assist him, you will be a burden. Understood?"

"Acknowledge." White Zetsu affirmed. He disappeared into the ground and made his way to where Obito was heading.

Madara himself could not travel far from the cave. He was attached to the Gedo Statue, which provided him with the chakra that was necessary for his survival. If he detached, he would die immediately.

After several hours of waiting, White Zetsu finally returned from his surveillance, with a somber look on his face.

"Madara-sama, I have unfortunate news." White Zetsu said, dreading Madara's reaction.

"Go on," Madara, already guessing what the news could be.

"The young Uchiha engaged two Iwa shinobi and was killed in action, a diagonal slash to the torso separating him into two halves."

Madara cursed his luck. He had been prolonging his life for far too long now. He needed a successor to ensure that his plan can proceed successfully. The Uchiha seemed like the ideal successor, but now he was dead. There was no other option now.

"Zetsu, I need you to get closer to me." He asked Zetsu. Zetsu did as was commanded, and Madara placed his hand on his right shoulder. Using the last of his chakra, Madara covered half of Zetsu in what appeared to be a strange black substance.

"Zetsu, I have transferred my will onto your right half. I don't have much time left, so I need you to be the one who fulfills my ambitions for me." Zetsu nodded in affirmation, his new task weighing heavy on his heart. "Locate the Uzumaki…in Amegakure…he holds my Rinnegan. Bring him to my body, and have him perform Rinne Tensei on me…" Zetsu nodded again, understanding his objective. "You must succeed, Zetsu…the future…of the world…depends on…me…" Placing his hand on Zetsu's shoulder, he gave him a bright smile, something he has not done since his initial friendship with Senju Hashirama. He placed his utmost trust with Zetsu, and then detached himself from the Gedo Statue. His body dropped on the floor, with his corpse still smiling. Zetsu grabbed Madara's corpse and placed it inside a specially designed casket, meant to prevent decomposition by absolutely isolating the body from the rest of the outside world.

Zetsu sealed of the cave with a unique seal, only breakable upon contact with Madara's Rinnegan. He clenched his fists tightly and began walking southwest.

'I'll be back' Zetsu vowed.

* * *

**Hey Y'all!**

**Welcome to the first chapter of _Redemption_. Kakashi decides not to follow Obito to rescue Rin, leading to the death of both Rin and Obito. How will this effect Kakashi's growth as a person? What changes to canon will occur without Tobi to be the main antagonist? I hope you are asking these questions, because I am about to answer them.**

**I will be update this story biweekly on the 1st and 15th of every month. This way, chapters can be long and more in-depth. Descriptions will be better, characters will be more complicated, people will die, etc. etc.**

**It's going to be a while before we officially reach the start of the original Naruto series, but there are going to be so many changes that you'll be like "what the actual fuck?" But you are actually gonna be like that while trying to contain an orgasm between your legs. I promise you this will definitely be worth the trip.**

**Now, I did not proofread this as well as I should. The deadline was fast approaching, and I wanted to deliver, so here you guys are. I worked on this chapter for a week, cuz I conceived the idea only a week ago. On the 15th, there will be a better revised, better written chapter 2, so get hyped for that.**

**As usual (for those who have previously read my works), I am looking for an editor that would be willing to assist me in revising my work and providing insight to my ideas. It will definitely lead to better writing, which will lead to better you. **

**At the end of these author notes, I will answer any and all questions you ask about my fic, or about my life. Please ask, there is no such thing as a stupid question (though there is such thing as a troll question, so don't troll, fucking trolls...)**

**Thank you all very much for reading this fic, and I hope you enjoy what you have read!**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/1/2013 4:41PM EST**

* * *

**NOTE: Corrected Nohara Rin's spelling (7/4/2013 4:07PM EST)**


	2. Rain

**Chapter 2: Rain**

Kakashi had knocked several times on the door of a small apartment. A young woman with short black hair and dark onyx eyes opened the door to the young masked boy. She wondered why Kakashi was in her house. Kakashi then looked towards the floor and presented the young woman with a container. Inside the container was a preservative fluid holding Sharingan eyes. The woman, with trembling hands, grabbed the container from Kakashi's guilt-ridden hands and held onto it for several seconds before closing the door. Kakashi turned away from the door, and as he was about to walk away he heard the faint sounds of a woman sobbing. 'A shinobi must never show emotions, huh? Obito would have loved to punch the person that made that rule, right?' Kakashi thought as he continued to listen to the woman's weeping.

The worst part about being a jounin was your duty to relay the death of your teammates to their family and loved ones. He went to Rin's house to deliver the terrible news, and her mother broke down right in front him. He did not watch her as a puddle started to form from all of the tears she was shedding. Obito's mom still had the pride of a shinobi, so she did not cry in front of Kakashi. Yet, he knew that she was torn with the death of her son. Why did Kakashi ever believe that shinobi were emotionless tools designed to complete specific tasks? All shinobi were human, and humans are emotional. It's ridiculous to believe that someone would be willing to kill their own hearts, unless they took pleasure from killing.

Kakashi never wanted to do this again. He never wants to relay the news of the death of people he cared about.

* * *

_Graveyard, Konohagakure no Sato_

Every morning, before receiving missions from the Hokage, Kakashi would pay respects to the Memorial Stone near Training Grounds 7. Inscribed on the stone were the names "Nohara Rin" and "Uchiha Obito." They were considered heroes of the village that valiantly gave their lives to protect Konoha from its enemies, but Kakashi knew better. Kakashi should have gone with Obito; maybe Obito would still be alive today. Maybe Obito would have come late to practice, and Kakashi probably would have scolded him on his habitual tardiness. Maybe Rin would have been laughing as she listened to Obito bicker and complain about "getting lost on the road to life." None of that even matters now. Like Minato said, "What's past is prologue." It was time to start a new chapter in Kakashi's life, but how he was going to go about doing that, he had no idea.

Upon successful completion of his mission objective, both Minato and Kakashi were hailed with the title "Elite Jounin."It was not an official rank, but the prestige of the title demonstrated your abilities in combat. Sandaime Hokage even expressed his interest in allowing Minato to succeed him as the Yondaime Hokage, after annihilating an entire enemy platoon by himself. Despite all the praise he gained from single-handedly destroying Kannabi Bridge, and despite the fact that the Hatake family name was no longer disgraced through his actions, Kakashi did not feel like a hero. He watched Pakkun die while he could do nothing. He allowed Obito to walk to his death. He was unable to save Rin from the horrendous genjutsu torture and rape she underwent before she was killed. He was too weak, even though he was a jounin. Minato tried to tell him that these things happened, and that by overcoming he will ultimately grow stronger. Kakashi knew exactly what Minato was talking about, but he could not help but feel distraught at his inability to save the lives of those closest to him.

Kakashi began to take A- and S- rank solo missions, hoping that one of them would deliver the final blow he could not deliver to himself. After his father's suicide, killing himself was not an option. Kakashi just wanted to die, but he was too skilled as a shinobi to be taken down easily. He participated heavily in campaigns against Iwagakure during the Third Shinobi World War, and his name became as infamous as the Yellow Flash. Rumors were circulating about the rise of a "White Fang," and Kakashi's bingo book entry had warning labels that stated "FLEE ON SIGHT." Kakashi did not want to be known as the "White Fang." He felt that he was desecrating the memory of his father by merely existing, and as such did not deserve that title.

The grey clouds began to gather around Konoha, and a downpour of rain shortly pelted Kakashi's gravity defy hair. Kakashi felt that the rain was fitting for such a day like this. It also rained the day Rin and Obito's bodies were buried. Obito's mom did not want her son's Sharingan to be buried with him, as she kept it to remember his ideals and lifestyle. Minato was there, as well as his wife, Uzumaki Kushina. Team 7 had always been close with Kushina, who often participated in training sessions with the kids. Minato was not crying; he shed his tears long ago. But Kushina was sobbing uncontrollably. She knew how much the kids meant to Minato, and they had died far too early in their lives.

Supporting Kushina was Uchiha Mikoto. Obito was a cousin to Mikoto, one that she enjoyed very much due to his charisma and outgoing personality. She still found it hard to believe that Obito had actually died. He was so adamant about proving his worth, and he died before getting the chance to do so. Kakashi did not want to make contact with any Uchiha during the funeral. He was so guilt-ridden from their deaths that he would have been okay with a flash mob pummeling him to his early demise. Despite Kakashi's desire to join his friends in the afterlife, subconsciously he knew that he had to remain alive. How else could he fulfill Obito's ambitions?

An umbrella protected Kakashi from the deluge of rain, snapping him back into reality. He turned to see who was sheltering him, when his eyes made contact with Minato's. Sometimes, Minato would come over to the Memorial Stone as well, to support Kakashi as he prayed for the well-being of Rin and Obito's spirits. He was always smiling, always reassuring Kakashi that things will get better. However, today he was very serious.

"Hey Kakashi," Minato had said.

"Sensei," Kakashi replied before turning his gaze at the memorial stone yet again.

"Still aren't gonna get over your guilt, huh?"

Kakashi said nothing. He was unsure how to truly respect the deaths of his closest friends. Drowning himself in self-pity was the only effective method in his mind.

Minato shifted a bit before placing his hands on Kakashi's shoulder. It was rough and firm, but surprisingly gentle at the same time. It was something his father used to do when Kakashi was a child.

"You know Kakashi, it never rains forever." Minato said. "At the end of a storm, you can always expect the sun to shine brightly, or the moon to illuminate the oceans and seas."

Kakashi took those words to heart. It was some of the most profound words ever uttered to him in his life. It was also very fitting, considering that it was raining today.

"It's okay to remember Rin and Obito." Minato said. "But you cannot let their sacrifice hinder you from becoming a better person. On that topic, I have something important to tell you."

That caught Kakashi's attention. He stopped staring at the memorial site to turn towards his sensei.

"I've decided that to take up the Sandaime's offer. I will take up the mantle of Yondaime Hokage to protect the village I so love."

Kakashi was wide-eyed. His sensei was going to become Hokage. What did that mean to him? Will he be alone again? Did Minato move on from Obito and Rin's death faster than Kakashi did?

"That being said, I was hoping you will assist me when I do become Hokage." He smiled at Kakashi, which lifted his own worries. "Kakashi, we've come a long way since the War ended. I've watched you grow and mature into the shinobi you are today. I've seen you take the emotions you've rediscovered and use them to lead yourself towards a better future. Your commitment to remembering the fallen has made you into a better shinobi then you ever were as a heartless machine. I need such a man like you by my side, to help me make the difficult choices that a leader must make. You are the only one I can trust." Minato scratched the back of his head, as if he just remembered something. "Well you, Kushina, and Jiraiya-sensei anyways. Don't let Kushina know I totally forgot to include her in my circle of trust."

Somewhere in the Namikaze residence, a stunning red-haired woman sneezed, accidently dropping the pot of hot water on her shirt. There goes her ramen for the day…and here comes a trip to Konoha General.

Kakashi stared in awe at his sensei's decision. Choosing to become Hokage, to guide this village towards a better tomorrow is an honor to be bestowed on anyone.

"You know, since the founding of our village many years ago, we've been dragged from war to war, in a seemingly unending conflict. There is so much hate between us as countries, and us as shinobi. I should know; the amount of people I've killed boosted the amount of hate I received by leaps and bounds. It's like a curse. A curse of hatred."

Minato looked at young Kakashi as he listened attentively. He placed his left hand on Kakashi and stared up at the pouring rain. He stretched his right hand towards the sky, as if trying to grab the droplets of rain. Closing his open palm into a fist, Minato made the vow that Kakashi will remember for the rest of his life.

"I will break this curse." Minato said with absolution. "If there is such thing as peace, I will find it!" Looking back at Kakashi, who just stared amazed at his sensei's conviction, he concluded his vow. "I won't give up! Kakashi, will you help me find that dream? Will you help me find true peace?

Kakashi straightened himself up and stood valiantly. Placing his right hand over his heart, Kakashi made his pledge. "I will. I swear on the names of Rin and Obito that, if peace truly exist in this world, I will be with you when you find it."

"Thank you…"

* * *

_Outskirts of Amegakure no Sato_

Konan was filling out logistical paperwork detailing the final assault on Amegakure. This civil war has raged well over a year, and both sides had suffered heavy casualties. The most horrendous of casualties was Nagato's disillusionment with the idea of peace. Ever since Yahiko threw himself at Nagato's kunai, Nagato changed completely. Nagato was no longer the kind-hearted boy that longed for a world without war. Though his desire remains strong, he has given into his fate, and believes there is no true path to peace. Nagato believes now that war is forever, and that the only way to end it is by killing everything. Nagato took Yahiko's greatest dream and molded it into his own: become a god. Only as a god will Nagato bring about his divine judgment against supporters of perpetual warfare.

Konan knew that this was not the way to go about it. But she had been heartbroken by Yahiko's sacrifice. A sacrifice made in vain, as Hanzō still tried to kill everyone anyways. She believed in Nagato and Yahiko's ideals of peace, but with Yahiko's death there was no one else to turn to. So she swore to become her God's Angel. She will be the sword that her god uses to smite the damned from this world. In order to begin this holy purge, they must first kill Hanzō and relinquish control of Amegakure from his tyrannical hands.

Despite the apparent good they were doing and the widespread support of their insurrection, Konan was not so sure she really believed what she was doing was just. It seemed to be that Nagato was driven by revenge over the betterment of the world. He used to be such an idealist. He used to vehemently believe in the concept of peace. Now, that is all that peace is to Nagato: a concept. An unattainable, impossible concept. Sometimes, Konan finds herself wishing for the days when Yahiko was alive and Nagato truly believed. His entire life was ruined single-handedly by Konohagakure no Sato. Once Amegakure was liberated from his hands, Nagato would surely set his sights on the hypocritical village next.

As Konan walked around the campsite, she took her time to observe the faces of the many shinobi gathered in the resistance. Many of them were orphans, between the ages of 13 to 18. These orphans were driven by a single concept: revenge. There was plenty of missing-nin who cared solely about money. Very few of the shinobi gathered actually desired to free their village from the tyranny of Hanzō, without achieving a personal vendetta. Yet, she must stop Hanzō, no matter what the cost.

Soon, a torrent of rain poured down on the campsite. It was not natural rain, as Konan knew it. Nagato was merely using the Ukojizai no Jutsu as a regular check up to see if there were any potential spies in the site. Nagato performed the Jutsu every day at noon, and once again in midnight. It would rain for 2 hours before Nagato dissipated the rain. He infused his own chakra into the rain, allowing him to sense any and all shinobi in the rain. Rain that reacts unfamiliarly with a shinobi's chakra is deemed a threat, and Nagato immediately responds to the threat by unleashing the Deva Path. A threat must have been located, as Konan met with the Deva Path while walking around the headquarters.

"Pain." Konan called out to the Deva Path. Nagato learned that after summoning the Gedō Mazō, he was unable to travel far from Amegakure. The chakra rods embedded on his back allowed him to utilize the chakra of the Gedō Mazō whenever he needs too, but at the cost of his maneuverability. Nagato also discovered that he can transfer his power to anything that is embedded with the unique chakra rod. He pierced the corpse of Yahiko with snippets of the chakra rod, and used his body as the avatar of "Pain," the Deva Path of the Rinnegan.

"Konan," Pain responded. "An intruder has been located at the Southern sector of the encampment. I'm moving to engage."

"Allow me to assist you." Konan pleaded. She was a remarkable kunoichi with her ability to manipulate paper and transform her own body into thousands of sheets. Yet, Nagato always placed her in the rear. Konan was a high ranking officer in Nagato's insurrection, and Nagato did not want to lose her. She knew that was not the case, however. Nagato became paranoid at the thought that Hanzō may attempt to kidnap her again. So he keeps her away from any and all skirmishes and battles, allow the Deva Path to fight their battles for them. Konan gets frustrated at Nagato's paranoia and wishes she can engage in confrontations more often than Nagato would let her.

"You know I cannot do that, Konan. You are much too valuable for the army to lose, so you cannot engage the enemy." Pain retorted.

"How many enemies have intruded in the Southern sector?" Konan asked.

"…1…" Pain responded.

"If it's one enemy, I can handle myself." Konan said.

"Still…"

"How long are you going to keep me on a leash?" Konan asked. "We were the ones who founded Akatsuki. We've been fighting this rebellion for years, and you were never like this when Yahiko was around." Pain tensed up at the mention of Yahiko. It was still a sour point for him; he never really finished mourning the loss of his best friend and inspiration. "Yahiko was always confidant in my skills. He believed in me, as did you at one point. Yet all you can do now is hold me back!"

"Konan, I just…I…" Pain stuttered.

"You what? Nagato, we aren't children anymore. We fought to survive our whole lives! There are no excuses you can give to hold me back!" Konan was angry. She really wanted Nagato to acknowledge her as a shinobi in her own right. By deny her the chance to prove her worth he's effectively not trusting her to be able to hold her own.

"No Konan, that's not it." Pain replied. "It's just that I…I don't want to lose you too. You're the only one I have left." Konan figured as much. It was the primary reason behind Nagato's paranoia.

She placed here hand on Pain's cheek. For a second, she visualized Yahiko's face, without all of the piercings and the Rinnegan. She saw his bold eyes, and his wonderful smile. Konan blushed at thinking such thoughts and then turned away from Pain before speaking her mind. "Nagato…I know you don't want to lose me…but I don't want to lose you either. I know that you are safe and sound inside of the cave, but every time I see Yahi…Pain fight, it only makes me want to protect you more. Please, don't hold me back anymore."

"Konan…I…"

"Awww, isn't this touching!" a voice suddenly said, alerting Pain and Yahiko to its presence. They were so preoccupied with their talk that they almost forgot the intruder. Apparently, the intruder ended up seeking them out anyways.

"Who are you?" Pain asked, holding out his left hand. Konan transformed into thousands of paper and had her arms ready for combat as well.

**"I told you to wait for them to finish their conversation." **The intruder had said. The intruder was a very ominous looking…thing. Half of its body was covered in absolute blackness, with the exception of its right eye. The other half of its body was more human-like, but still was colored pure white. The most bizarre aspect of the thing was that its head seemed to be in the center of a Venus flytrap. It could not be easily distinguished between, man, beast, and plant.

"Oh, relax you. It's gonna be fine. Presuming we don't get killed of course." The thing responded. Pain and Konan found it odd that the intruder was talking to itself. As if the intruder was not creepy enough.

"**Can you not feel the tension coming from those two?**" The thing said to itself. "**I would not be surprised if we were killed several minutes from now.**"

"Stop being such a pessimist, you." The thing said yet again. This one-sided exchange was beginning to get on Pain's nerves.

"Enough of this idle banter!" Pain shouted. "Explain yourself immediately, before I decide to end your lives right here on the spot."

"**My apologies, but you are not the one we wish to speak to.**" The oddity said, confusing Pain and Konan. "**You may have the Rinnegan, but you are not the same person from my memories. You are not Nagato.**"

The statement shocked both Pain and Konan. No one outside the original members of Akatsuki is supposed to have knowledge of Nagato's existence. Pain was the avatar he used to present himself, and he always used Pain wherever he went.

"How do you know Nagato?" asked Konan. "Explain now!"

"Woah, chill out pretty lady!" The plant thing said. "We're getting there!"

Konan did not know whether to blush or be disgusted at the compliment the creature just gave her.

"**Our name is Zetsu. We are two separate entities, inhabiting the same body. You can call me Black Zetsu.**"

"And you can call me White Zetsu!"

"**Can it, I'm trying to speak seriously over here.**"

"Aw, but I was only trying to introduce myself…"

Pain and Konan cannot truly believe the exchange that was occurring right in front of their eyes. They rubbed their eyes a bit to see if they were just hallucinating the entire scene.

"**Enough of that. We have much to discuss, and we need to speak to Nagato.**"

"How can we trust you?" Pain asked, still in disbelief with the creature known as Zetsu. "For all we know, you could be a potential assassin from Hanzō. Give me a reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"**Does this Hanzō person know that you are a descendent of the Uzumaki clan?**" Black Zetsu asked.

"I'm…I'm what…?" Pain asked, shocked at the sudden revelation.

Konan, too, was stunned at the sudden news. She always assumed that Nagato was a civilian orphan that was blessed with the Rinnegan. She couldn't have possibly thought that Nagato would be a member of such a prestigious clan. The Uzumaki were rumored to have been annihilated along with their village, Uzushiogakure. Yet, here Nagato was, being told that he was a member of an extinct clan.

"Uh, if I were you, I'd probably listen to him. I think he knows more about you than you know about yourself." White Zetsu said.

Pain was silent for a couple of minutes. This revelation was very sudden, and difficult to actually believe. He needed to know more, so he couldn't trust Zetsu at all.

"Give me proof." Pain said. "Prove to me that I am an Uzumaki, as you proclaim."

"**I do not have proof of my claim.**" Black Zetsu said. "**However, I can tell you that the Nagato I remember shares characteristics prominent in the Uzumaki. Nagato has long, smooth red hair. He also has unrivaled chakra reserves. You do not have red hair, you have orange. Yet, you also possess the Rinnegan. I can only assume that you are one of the Six Paths. Only a Senju or an Uzumaki have enough chakra to transfer his will over to a new body as one of the Six Paths.**"

There was no doubt in Pain's mind now. Zetsu was telling the truth. Not only did he know exactly what Nagato looked like, but he also accurately detailed the powers of the Rinnegan. Nobody, save for Konan, knew the true powers of the Rinnegan. Hanzō was the sole survivor of the Nagato's attack, but the only thing he should know is that Nagato has the ability to summon the Gedō Mazō. Hanzō should not know anything about the Deva Path. But this enigma standing right before him was telling him things even he did not know. He brought Konan a little distance away from Zetsu to discuss his thoughts with her.

"Nagato, I don't think we should trust this…thing." Konan said, speaking her honest opinion.

"I don't trust Zetsu either. But he's managed to bring up points that we cannot refute." Pain responded. "He knows what I look like, despite us never having met before. He even knows some secrets of the Rinnegan. Did you hear him? He said 'Six Paths.' I only know about the Deva Path. He knows more about the Rinnegan than I do."

"He could still be a well-informed spy from Amegakure," Konan refuted. "He could be of the same organization that Danzō leads."

Danzō…Pain never wanted to hear that name again. Danzō had conspired with Hanzō to form the ambush that lead to the death of Yahiko. He will definitely pay for his betrayal. He and Konoha will burn for what they have done to Nagato. Pain turned to see Zetsu. Black Zetsu was seemingly punching White Zetsu in the face for a joke he made that went sour. No. They could not have possibly been in leagues with Danzō. They have too many emotions to be a part of the infamous "Root" Organization.

"Konan…I'm going to take my chances." Pain said to Konan. Konan wanted to argue, but there was nothing she can do about it. Once Nagato made a decision, she could do nothing to change his mind. If anything remained the same during and after Yahiko's death, it was Nagato's stubbornness. 'Maybe that is a character trait inherited by all Uzumaki…' Konan thought with a silent giggle.

"Zetsu." Pain said, gathering the attention of Black and White Zetsu. "I'll trust you for now. I am going to have Konan keep an eye on you as she escorts you to my real body. If you do anything remotely suspicious, she will kill you on the spot. Am I understood?"

"Crystal!" White Zetsu said enthusiastically.

"**Understood.**" Black Zetsu said in a serious tone.

Pain finally turned to Konan. "Konan, I trust you with my life. I realize that I have been holding you back, and only now do I understand that that was a liability. I respect you and your power, and I should not have let my fears dictate my actions. I hope that you can forgive me."

"Nagato…" Konan said.

"Sooooooooooo," White Zetsu said. "Does this mean that you guys are going steady?"

Konan slapped White Zetsu in the face. Since his face was pure white, it left a very visible handprint.

"**Idiot…**"

* * *

_Root Headquarters, Konohagakure no Sato_

Danzō fought the urge to sneeze. Someone must be talking about him, somewhere in this world. Yet, that matters very little at this point in time. Right now, he is in an important meeting with one of the most powerful shinobi in the world.

"…Have you completed work on the 'research' yet?" Danzō asked his guest.

"Not yet. I've managed to get my hands on samples of the Shodai Hokage's DNA and am currently implementing it on the group you so…_generously_…supplied me…ku ku ku." The man chuckled in such a dark way. He could not help but stick his tongue out as he laughed at the utter irony of his experimentation. Trying to recreate the Mokuton kekkei genkai of the Shodai Hokage by using villagers he sought to protect…how the mighty has fallen.

"Regardless, you do have samples of the Shodai's cells. It should not be an issue for you to transfuse them into my arm." Danzō had said. After many years of research, he found out that the effects of the Mangekyō Sharingan can be boosted through integration of Senju cells. Normally, this call for a mating between Uchiha and Senju, but Danzō and his "compatriot" were using other methods to utilize this fusion.

Danzō was no Uchiha. He was no Senju. He was born as a member of the Shimura clan, one of the many clans that were incorporated into Konohagakure during its early days. While the Shimura were a proud and powerful clan, with the inclusion of the Sarutobi clan, they were pushed into obscurity. Shimura and Sarutobi were always rivals, and this was mimicked by the lives of Danzō and Hiruzen. The Nidaime Hokage selected Hiruzen to be the Sandaime Hokage, which further added to the bitter feud between Shimura and Sarutobi.

Yet, Hiruzen was kind. He chose Danzō to be his shadow. He chose Danzō to do all of the immoral, reprehensible acts that a Hokage would do, while he was the light of Konoha. Hiruzen was the shining beacon of hope that guided Konoha to a brighter tomorrow, while Danzō was the shadow of despair that engulfed all those that need gravitate from the light.

With unchecked power and prestige, Danzō went on to form Root, an organization built to take children, break them, and remold them into emotionless killing machines that serve only Danzō's will. Danzō's will was the betterment of the village, but Hiruzen did not agree with Danzō's dark methods. Root was officially disbanded at the end of the Second Shinobi World War, but Danzō merely moved it into the shadows, where he lurked.

Using Root, Danzō was able to get his hands on several Sharingan eyes from "willing" Uchiha donators. Danzō had learned from ancient scrolls written by the Shodai himself that only the Senju and Uchiha can freely control Bijuu. A Senju could control Bijuu using the special necklace that used to belong to the Shodai, Senju Hashirama. However, the necklace is long gone from Konoha, taken with Tsunade after her lover's tragic death several years ago. So he must focus on using the Sharingan for controlling the Bijuu. However, it takes a massive strain of chakra for a non-Uchiha to utilize the Sharingan. The only way to augment this disadvantage was if the non-Uchiha had Senju DNA coursing through them.

Danzō was not planning on transfusing the Sharingan into his arm until he had managed to have Senju DNA flowing through his veins. That's the primary reason why he was working with this snake. Anything for the benefit of the village. Anything.

"You have to be patient, old man." The slithering snake told Danzō. "I don't have much time left in this village anyways. Sensei's going to find out what I've done here. I've made necessary preparations for my departure of Konoha. I'm sure some people aren't going to miss me…ku ku ku…" The snake smirked at Danzō, chuckling at his own joke yet again.

"That's exactly why I need you to infuse Hashirama's cells into me." Danzō said. "I don't care whether or not the experiments work."

"Hmph," The snake retorted. "You're no fun. I can't guarantee that you'll survive this process then. Even if you do, Hashirama's cells will be unstable. Unless you have a large amount of chakra to control the cells, the Mokuton will go berserk and consume your body whole. I highly recommend not fighting anyone…ever…ku ku ku."

The maniacal scientist injected Danzō's right arm with a strange green fluid. Danzō's arm started to mutate horrendously, forming grotesque spirals all over his biceps and forearms. On Danzō's shoulder a disgusting face was materializing: the face of the Shodai Hokage. This was an entirely painful process, and Danzō was screaming in agony throughout the whole ordeal.

Danzō was not able to control his chakra well during the entire tribulation, and as a result Hashirama's cells started to malfunction. Mokuton was being released at sporadic rates, threatening to consume Danzō's entire body. Danzō grabbed onto his right arm, trying to focus all of his chakra onto that specific location. Breathing heavily, he succeeded in halting the dysfunctional mutation of Mokuton from his arms, and returned it to its normal (yet surreal) appearance.

"Ku ku ku…I told you that you need to control it with all of your chakra." The snake said. "I've seen plenty of patients who transformed completely into trees. So far, my experiments have yielded a 100% mortality rate. None of my patients just had the right DNA configuration to successfully implement the cells into their bodies without forming abominable replicas of Hashirama. Well, just be glad you haven't died…yet, old man…"

"Is it possible you can create a device to evenly fluctuate the flow of chakra inside my body?" Danzō asked. He needed to utilize the Senju cells with the Uchiha Sharingan he planned to infuse later in his life, but if his arm is going to haywire like that, then he is going to have to postpone his plans for much later.

"Why it's completely possible for me to complete such an apparatus." The pale snake told Danzō. "But…it's going to cost you extra."

"What more do you want?" Danzō asked, fearing the worst.

"Oh, it's nothing big." The conniving man said. "I just merely ask for a stake in the stockpile of Sharingan you are so tightly holding on to."

"You know well that I cannot allow you to obtain the Sharingan." Danzō told the man, his worst fears realized.

"Very well then," The man responded coldly. "I will leave you to figuring out how to control Hashirama's cells on your own…ku ku ku…"

"If you come back to Konoha, we will be forced to kill you. So I don't want toyou're your conspiratorial face here ever again…Orochimaru…" Danzō warned the man known as Orochimaru.

"Don't worry about me…I'm sure that we will meet again one day…" Orochimaru said, chuckling deviously. "…when I come to burn this place to the ground." Orochimaru body's turned into mud and splattered all over the floor. Danzō waited several minutes, checking to see if there were any signs of a lingering presence. When he could find nobody, he held his hands in a sign, calling forth two members of Root.

"Fu reporting, Danzō-sama." The blond young man named Fu said.

"Torune here, Danzō-sama." The black haired man with the goggles said.

"Fu, Torune, as you can see, I have recently been infused with cells from the Shodai." Danzō told his two loyal subjects. "However, this arm is proving difficult to control through normal means. Right now, I am focusing approximately 95% of my chakra into regulating the erratic cells. I cannot stress myself to doing menial tasks, so I will need you to act accordingly."

"What will you command us to do, Danzō-sama?" Torune asked.

"Torune, I need you to analyze the rate in which the cells absorb my chakra with you kikaichū. Fu, I want you to create a device using the information that Torune gathers that can assist me in monitoring and maintaining my chakra flow."

"By your will, Danzō-sama." Fu said.

Danzō strolled for a short while. It was increasingly difficult to do simple tasks like walk with the cells of the Shodai leeching every ounce of energy from his body. Danzō was thinking about his discussion with Orochimaru and how Orochimaru refused to help him build a chakra regulation apparatus for his arm. Danzō would rather not allocate his Root resources into creating something he deemed trivial, but it was not like Danzō had much of a choice in this matter. His demands were far too detrimental for the village, and Danzō had to act accordingly. He would rather die before allowing the snake to have his hands on a Sharingan.

With one aspect of his plan coming to fruition, Danzō began to make plans for his next move. Root operatives stationed all over the Water Country have provided him with updates on the movements of the Sanbi. Its previous Jinchuuriki could not control the power of the demonic turtle and abruptly released it on a poor, unsuspecting village. Of course, the Sandaime Mizukage was working diligently to cover up Kirigakure's blunder, but with Root spies stationed in the highest echelons of all 5 of the Shinobi Nations, information of value does not go unnoticed by Danzō.

Regrettably, the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was the wife of the new Yondaime Hokage. She was far too powerful politically for Danzō to get his hands on her. He would have to resort to something less, but nonetheless just as strong. All for the betterment of Konoha, after all.

* * *

_Cavern Tunnel Systems, Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato_

Orochimaru was observing the conditions of the 100 research subjects he had injected with Hashirama's cells. If any of them bore any fruit, they would be the ideal vessel for Orochimaru's next body transfer. He could imagine all of the power he would obtain with the Mokuton kekkei genkai. That would be a boon towards his plans against Konohagakure.

In truth, he was somewhat bitter with his sensei's decision for the Yondaime Hokage. Sarutobi Hiruzen knew that Orochimaru desired the title "Hokage" more than anything else in his life. Well, that was an understatement. Orochimaru actually desired knowledge of all of the world's jutsu. Becoming Hokage would have been a ticket to obtaining research samples and subjects without alerting public eye. Who would ever suspect the Hokage as the malefactor behind the horrendous, immoral human experimentations?

If anything, Orochimaru felt betrayed by his sensei's decisions. Yes, Orochimaru may have come out to be far darker than Tsunade and Jiraiya, but that did not mean that he was holistically evil. Yes, his experiments may not be ethical and just, but that did not mean they were not for the good of the village. The village was the only thing Orochimaru had for a home, and it was ostracizing him for his interests and habits. He can no longer have any of it. Minato can have the title of Yondaime Hokage. Orochimaru is just going to burn the village to the ground in the end.

Unfortunately for Danzō, Orochimaru's plans were coming to fruition. Just before visiting Danzō to inject…defective Hashirama cells into his arm, Orochimaru made a quick stop to the Uchiha Estate.

* * *

_(Flashback, Uchiha Clan Compound, Konohagakure no Sato)_

Orochimaru has had a difficult time, procuring an Uchiha research sample during his time in the village. The Uchiha were very wary of their children, never letting them out of their sights in the slightest. The Sharingan was a very valuable asset to the Uchiha, and they were paranoid about letting someone take the Sharingan from their kids. There were rumors of finding abandoned Uchiha corpses with their eyes missing. There was no evidence as to who the perpetrator was, as the crime scene was wiped clean of any and all interaction. This incident has placed the compound on high alert, and Uchiha were not allowed to leave unless they were in groups of three or more.

The rumors referred to the Sharingan that Danzō had acquired. Presumably, Danzō set his Root agents to ambush and attack unsuspecting Uchiha for their Sharingan. It could only have been the work of Root agents; they clean their work so thoroughly and precise, it would seem to have been an accidental death.

The incident of course placed dents on Orochimaru's plans. It was rather unfortunate that the old war hawk made his move before Orochimaru did. Yet, Orochimaru _always _had contingencies. His was in the form of Hatake Kakashi, who returned to Konoha with the remains of Uchiha Obito's Sharingan. This was supposed to be an A-rank secret, but Orochimaru had eyes and ears everywhere, even within Root itself. Kakashi had returned the remains to Obito's mother, Uchiha Yata. She was in a state of shock after learning the news of her son's death, so she was easy pickings for Orochimaru.

Yata herself was an uninspiring Uchiha housewife. She did not awaken the Sharingan, and therefore was not very useful for combat, despite her rank as a chuunin. She was the loving spouse of Uchiha Kagami, one of the Nidaime's closest confidants and student, and the mother of Obito and Shisui, the latter of which was a rising prodigy. Although Shisui's brother was feeble at best, Shisui was a sponge when it came to learning new techniques and abilities. He was able to awaken his own Sharingan at the age of 5, shortly after his father's premature demise in battle during the Third Shinobi World War. At the age of 7, Shisui was already a full fledge genin with a matured Sharingan. Shisui was just as prodigious as Kakashi, and would definitely go places in the future.

He was not home for the evening, which was good for Orochimaru. The less people around, the less suspicious he would seem. By the time the Uchiha found out about what occurred in the house, it would be too late, as Orochimaru would have fled the village.

Orochimaru knocked on the door. There was no need to go about subtly. He would enter, commit the deed, gain what he was looking for, and leave without anyone noticing. A young woman opened the door.

"Orochimaru-sama…" the young woman said. Every self-respecting shinobi recognized the faces of the legendary Sannin. Even Tsunade, who left the village after the death of her loved one, was easily recognizable by any shinobi. "…what do you want?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, Yata-chan," Orochimaru said with a snicker. "I'm merely here to express my condolences for your loss."

"How did you-" She asked before Orochimaru interrupted her.

"I was a forerunner for the title of Yondaime Hokage, after all. That sort of information was easily at my disposal." Orochimaru explained. What he did not tell Yata was that he already knew about her possession of Obito's Sharingan. Orochimaru smirked at the thought. This was going to be easier than he thought. "May I come in? I hope that my presence can be a sort of comfort for your hardships."

Yata relented. It was an honor for one of the Sannin to grace her with his presence. She did not suspect Orochimaru of any wrong doing, and his words seemed sincere.

Orochimaru took a seat on the couch. It was rather comfortable and malleable, changing its shape to fit his sitting posture. Luxuries such as this can only be obtained by a man that worked with someone as powerful as the Nidaime.

"Once again, I express my deepest sympathies for your loss." Orochimaru said. "First, it was your husband, and then it was your eldest son. The war has taken everything you ever held dear in your life."

Yata looked down in her despair. She grabbed a nearby family photo depicting her, Kagami, and her two sons. Obito crossed his arms in a serious manner, with his goggles over his eyes. He was trying to look cool for the photo, so he wasn't smiling, but Yata could sense the positivity he radiated from his stance. Shisui had a large grin on his face as he held both of his hands in victory signs. He was the splitting image of his father, who had a calm smile and gentle eyes. His right hand was atop of Shisui's head, messing up Shisui's wild hair. His left hand was around the waist of his beloved Yata, who relaxed her head on her husband's shoulder.

Tears began to well up in Yata's eyes as she remembered the peaceful days before the war. Obito had a passion so intense that even his father couldn't help but admire it. He was the positive energy of the family, even if he was not very skilled. His father's death did not shake him too badly, as he vowed to become Hokage in memory of his deceased role model.

Then Kakashi came to inform her that Obito had died in combat. All of his hopes, his dreams, his inspiration and desires, all of it vanished along with him in his death. What made the loss even more agonizing was when Kakashi presented her with his eyes, glowing red with the awakened Sharingan. Obito finally did it, only to be cut down and his dreams reaching an abrupt halt.

Orochimaru placed his hands over her shoulders. He needed to play the supportive role well, as much as he detested such frail human interaction. Yata stopped sobbing on Orochimaru's chest when she felt something that was out of place. While embracing her husband and children, she could feel warmth that was inviting and serene. Orochimaru did not exude that warmth. He felt…cold. Like a snake leaving the shade of a tree. This icy feeling made her uneasy, and she stood and walked to the door.

"Thank you very much, Orochimaru-sama, for your thoughts." Yata said. "But I think you should leave. I will be fine on my own." As she reached for the doorknob, her body suddenly twitched forward. There was shooting pain racing towards her brain, and she took some time to understand what had occurred. She looked down, and saw a sword through her abdomen. She struggled to turn around, drooling blood from her mouth, to see Orochimaru with a sword extending from his own mouth.

After a swift movement, Orochimaru retracted the sword back into his own mouth. "I was serious when I said I wanted to offer my condolences, Yata-chan." He chuckled a bit as he saw Yata's expression of horror. "I was more than willing to allow you to join your husband and child in the next life. Consider this an act of mercy from my part. I could be doing worse things with you…ku ku ku."

Yata wanted to scream, but he mouth was covered by Orochimaru. Surprisingly, he was gentle with his restraint, taking some sort of sick satisfaction with his own actions. "Shh, Yata-chan." Orochimaru said in a soothing tone that completely contradicted the severity of his actions. "The pain will only last an instant. Soon, you'll join your beloved husband and son…" Tears streamed down her face as she resigned to her fate. Flashbacks of her life played as she remembered her time with her children. Why did life treat her so coldly? What had she done to deserve this?

Her body went to a slump. After some time holding her, Orochimaru checked to see if the Uchiha housewife was truly dead. Once he confirmed it, he erased all traces of his being in the residence. He wiped all surfaces he touched, eliminating all fingerprints and DNA residue. The Uchiha were the primary force in Konoha's Military Police, so their forensics team would be thorough. Although Orochimaru was going to leave the village, he did not want to reveal his plans to Konoha just yet.

He did a quick sweep of the house trying to locate the whereabouts of Obito's Sharingan. Inside of Obito's room, behind his bed, was a recently installed safe. Orochimaru carefully removed the lock of the safe to find a vial containing liquid preservative and a pair of glowing, crimson eyes. Orochimaru smirked.

_(Flashback Over)_

* * *

Orochimaru continued to observe the result of his experiments. Slowly, many of the children were succumbing to the chaotic tendencies of Hashirama's cells. Many were displaying signs similar to that of Danzō, growing Hashirama's face in random parts of their bodies. Considering that many of these subjects were children, they did not have developed chakra reserves to handle the parasitical cells. Many were consumed wholly by the power of Hashirama. Others were transformed into trees and other plant life.

Orochimaru watched in sorrow as these children failed to adapt and control the Mokuton. What a pity. The subject that had the best control over Hashirama's kekkei genkai would have surely been the next vessel for Orochimaru's transfer. Such a shame.

BOOM! Orochimaru's thoughts were interrupted by an explosion near the cave entrance. 'So it's begun.' Orochimaru thought. He licked his lips in anticipation. A good fight would be the perfect warm up before he can go about with his plans.

The door to his underground bunker was breached violently. Two ANBU captains, Bird and Dog, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, immediately rushed into the laboratory, where Orochimaru had waited for them. The sight of the laboratory visibly unnerved the ANBU agents. There were deceased corpses hanging around, bound by their limbs on the wall. Some of the corpses were deformed. Some were missing limbs; others had extra, grotesque appendages growing from their navel area or thighs. The sight of a three armed female hanging from her legs just utterly revolted the captains. The only people that were unmoved by the atrocities of the room were Hiruzen, who was completely focused on ending his greatest failure, and Orochimaru, who was desensitized by the experiments he performed.

Orochimaru stopped observing the children he injected with the Shodai's cells. Many of the kids began to cough blood, sprouting trees from their appendages, or even becoming trees themselves. Orochimaru was saddened by this sight; he was hoping at least one of them would be alive for his tests to be a success. No matter. There were more guinea pigs to be acquired outside of Konoha.

"Orochimaru…" Hiruzen said, breaking the silence in the room. His voice was filled with disdain towards the snake Sannin. He knew that Orochimaru had become power-hungry over the years, and that was what led him to choose Minato over his protégé. Yet, he never expected him to fall so low. He honestly did not want to believe the ANBU reports of Orochimaru over the last couple of months. Here was irrefutable evidence that Orochimaru was indeed performing unethical, immoral, and inhumane acts of atrocious human experimentation. As his greatest failure, Hiruzen's last act as the Sandaime Hokage would be to end the monstrosity that was his former pupil.

"Hehehe…it looks like you finally found me…" Orochimaru said sarcastically. "How unfortunate…I laid so many booby traps…enough that I'd thought I'd be safe. So I was really surprise…ku ku ku…" Of course he was not surprised. He was tipped off earlier, and was fully anticipating their raid.

"Recently, a bunch of ninja from genin to chuunin, and even some of the ANBU have gone missing." Dog ANBU explained. "And there are reports of your strange behavior as well…"

"Orochimaru-sama," Bird ANBU began. "Why would you of all shinobi do a thing like this?"

"Haha, shall I kill you as well?" Orochimaru responded. "I could use another guinea pig for this recent experiment of mine."

Bird ANBU trembled at Orochimaru's threat. The worst feeling was that Orochimaru actually has the power to back up his boasts.

"Speak! What are you doing here?" Hiruzen asked Orochimaru.

"Ku ku ku…Isn't it obvious?" Orochimaru snickered. "I've been working on developing a new jutsu!" Orochimaru proceeded to chuckle maniacally.

"Orochimaru…" Dog ANBU began. "You…you've been experimenting on human beings for that purpose…" Dog ANBU was obviously revolted at the idea of Orochimaru sick, insane human experimentation for the simple-minded purpose of creating a new jutsu.

"It's as I thought…" Hiruzen said in contemplation. "Kinjutsu, huh? What on earth did you hope to achieve?"

Orochimaru held his arms wide. "Everything there is!"

"Everything, you say?!" Hiruzen said in disbelief.

"I want to obtain all the jutsu and gain a true understanding of everything in this world…" Orochimaru clarified. "The first person to mix blue and yellow named the new color that was created green." He began to walk around the room, placing the two ANBU on high alert. "I only want to do the same thing. If blue is the chakra, then yellow is the seal and green is the jutsu. Just as there is no end to the variety of colors, there are so many thousands…tens of thousands of jutsu in the world as well."

Orochimaru stopped his pacing and faced his master, who had a cold sweat listening to the diabolical monologue of his former student. "But, in order to obtain every possible jutsu and truth, it would require an eternity, you see…Only the one who understands everything after spending such time on this can be fittingly called the 'Ultimate Being.'"

Orochimaru crossed his arms. It seemed to Hiruzen that he was nearing the end of his rant. "For me, the lifespan of the body is too short, too fragile. Even if you were to be called Hokage, when you die everything ends there."

"Orochimaru…this jutsu you are experimenting on here, it can't be…" Hiruzen asked, troubled.

"Yes, it's what you think…" The silence in the room was palpable, the suspense killing the ANBU captains. "The 'Spell of Immortality!'" He announced with such gleeful vigor.

Orochimaru was answered with a silence that awkwardly permeated in the room. He couldn't tell from the masks, but he knew that the two feeble minded ANBU were looking at him like some sort of psychopath. Let them think what they want; they couldn't possibly understand the beauty of knowledge.

"Are you going to kill me?" Orochimaru finally asked with a smirk in his face. Hiruzen did not reply, as he was performing the hand signs for Kuchiyose no Jutsu. Slamming his palm on the ground, the room was filled with chakra smoke as a large monkey poofed into existence. The monkey had thick sideburns that extended all the way down to his chin, and was wearing the hitai-ate for Konoha. His white hair was calf length and he was wearing a camouflage fur coat over traditional Shinobi attire.

"Enma, please assist me in finishing off this rogue." Hiruzen said with conviction.

"Are you certain, Hiruzen?" Enma asked. "He is your student, after all."

"Look around you, old friend. Orochimaru may have been a student of mine, but his actions must be punished. It is my duty as his sensei to kill him myself." Hiruzen said. "Transform, Enma!"

Enma transformed into the Kongou Nyoi, the legendary Adamantine Staff. Hiruzen grabbed hold of Enma and twirled him around before holding him behind his back.

"Can you do it?" Orochimaru questioned, holding both of his hands in a seal. "Sarutobi-sensei! Fuuton: Shippu Bakufū no Jutsu!" Suddenly, both of the ANBU captains were knocked out of their feet by a massive blast of wind. Hiruzen and Enma managed to stand their ground, despite Hiruzen's age. But Orochimaru disappeared in a shunshin, stunning the former Hokage.

Both of the ANBU were rising from the gale force blast. They looked around to find any trace of the Snake Sennin. Orochimaru rematerialized behind the Bird ANBU and grabbed his head. With a quick motion, Orochimaru snapped the neck of the unsuspecting ANBU, killing him instantly.

"BIRD!" Dog ANBU shouted, rushing at Orochimaru with his sword unsheathed.

"Dog, hold your ground!" Hiruzen said, but it was too late. Orochimaru opened his mouth wide, and a snake lurched out from his esophagus. The snake, in turn, opened its mouth, and a sword was rapidly thrusting into Dog's right shoulder.

"Gah!" Dog screamed in pain. Orochimaru would have slashed towards his heart, but Hiruzen was quick to act and swiped at Orochimaru with Enma. Orochimaru retracted the blade back into his mouth in blinding speed and managed to dodge the large staff.

"Sen'eijashu!" Slamming his hand in the ground, a swarm of snakes appeared from Orochimaru sleeves, rushing at his former sensei. Hiruzen smashed Enma down on the floor and started revolving quickly. Whatever snake tried to attack Hiruzen was brushed aside with each rotation. After gaining some momentum, Hiruzen threw Enma at Orochimaru and subsequently performed a sequence of hand signs.

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Normally this tactic would not work, but Hiruzen mastered it in such a way that any weapon he threw could be replicated mid-trajectory, including Enma. 20 massive staffs were flying at the shocked Orochimaru, who could not dodge the onslaught. One of the staffs impaled the snake Sennin in the face, and Orochimaru's deceased corpse dropped to the ground.

Hiruzen breathed a sigh of relief, but his face quickly mortified when Orochimaru dissolved into mud. He reappeared behind Hiruzen and tried to bite Hiruzen in the neck, but Hiruzen anticipated the maneuver and spun around rapidly, diverting the attack to his gauntlet on his forearm.

While Hiruzen was distracted, Orochimaru took the opportunity to smash a hook to his face. Hiruzen was knocked back a couple of paces, but he did not have enough time to recover as Orochimaru was once again extending his sword from inside his body.

'Damn it!' Hiruzen thought in frustration. He quickly maneuvered to grab Enma from his lodge in the wall, and moved to dodge the extensive blade. With every movement of Orochimaru's head, the blade followed, and Hiruzen was forced to move away to avoid being cut to ribbons.

Hiruzen slid under the sword. While Orochimaru tried to move his head downwards to meet the brash Hokage, Hiruzen held tightly to Enma and extended the staff. The staff's extension boosted the force of his kick, and he delivered devastating damage to Orochimaru's midsection. Orochimaru was clutching his stomach in pain, but he was genuinely smiling throughout this battle.

"Excellent, excellent!" Orochimaru yelled in pleasure. "Just what I expect of my old sensei! But now I will be pulling off the kiddie gloves, Sarutobi-sensei…ku ku ku."

Hiruzen wondered what Orochimaru meant by that when Dog ANBU yelled out to him.

"Behind you Hokage-sama!" Hiruzen turned to see the reanimated corpse of his former Bird ANBU suddenly grappling him. He was absolutely shocked at the predicament.

"Orochimaru! What…what have you done?!" Hiruzen screamed, outraged at this whole turn of events.

"Just a jutsu I derived from _your_ sensei's Kinjutsu. I call it Shikon no Jutsu…ku ku ku…" Orochimaru said gleefully watching the struggling Hiruzen. He pulled out the sword from within his mouth and held it like a katana. He stabbed Hiruzen in the appendix, knowing that it was a useless organ, but the pain the wound would cause will hurt nonetheless. After all, Hiruzen was far beneath him. He did not deserve to die by Orochimaru's hands…yet anyways.

The Dog ANBU decided now would be the best opportunity to slash at Orochimaru. Orochimaru anticipate the assault and retaliated by punching the foolish Black Op in the face, breaking his mask in the process.

"Now, now, don't be too hasty there Kakashi-_kun_." Orochimaru playful teased as the mask began to crack, revealing a 14 year old boy cover in another face mask. "I need you to be alive to send Minato-kun my warmest departures. Don't go running blindly to your own death now…ku ku ku…"

Hiruzen couldn't believe the predicament. It was as if Orochimaru was playing with him all this time. Enma reverted back to his monkey form, unable to assist much further in the battle. Hiruzen was let go as the corpse lost its animation and fell towards the ground.

"Wish I could stick around and play some more, Sarutobi-sensei, but I have plans to come to fruition. Don't you worry your old mug however, I will be back. And I will kill you next time, just you wait…ku ku ku…" With that last statement, Orochimaru dashed outside of his laboratory, leaving two confused and angered shinobi and a dead ANBU in his wakes.

"Damn it!" Hiruzen cursed. "I never expected him to be this powerful after the Second Shinobi World War!"

"Orochimaru's power is indeed staggering, Hokage-sama." Kakashi commented. "We know he'll be coming back, so we need to grow stronger to accommodate the extensive gap. I know I will."

"We'll need to send teams of our most talented hunter-nin after the scoundrel." Hiruzen replied. "I apologize for my lack of ability, old friend." He told Enma.

"Think nothing of it, Hiruzen. Just be glad you live to fight another day. Leave the rest to Minato-san. I'm sure he'll be able to handle it."

"No, I must be the one to rectify my situation." Hiruzen responded.

"But, old friend, you are indeed growing older and older. You are not like the Tsuchikage; your abilities wane with the passage of time!" Enma countered.

"Still Enma, you can't expect me to-"

"Hokage-sama, you must come quickly!" Kakashi shouted, interrupting Enma and Hiruzen's conversation.

"What is it, Kakashi-san?" Hiruzen asked rushing to Kakashi's side.

"One of the victims is still alive! We must give him medical treatment immediately!"

* * *

_Hokage Tower, Konohagakure no Sato_

"That is indeed an unfortunate turn of events." Minato said, after listening to the mission debriefing of Kakashi and Hiruzen. "We need to inform Bird ANBU's family of his demise. Kakashi, would you do me the favor?"

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said to Minato. "After what happened with…Obito and Rin…I just feel too uncomfortable delivering such messages." It's true. He had to fight the urge to cry uncontrollably after informing Obito's mom. It was too much for him to handle on his own.

"Hokage-sama," Hiruzen said, feeling awkward at having to finally address somebody else "Hokage-sama" after many, many years. "If it will not be too much trouble, I would like to be the one to inform Bird ANBU's family of his death."

"Are you certain, Sarutobi-sama?" Minato asked. "I mean, it was already too much for you to take on this mission. I think you deserve a well-earned rest."

"Nonsense, Hokage-sama." Hiruzen said, lifting a palm in the air. Despite his retirement, he still displayed the calm and serenity of his prime. "I was their commanding officer during this mission, so I must be the one to deliver the unfortunate news. Such is the way of a leader. Just wait, Minato-kun, you'll be doing that a lot more often in the future." He was referring to writing and signing death reports and certificates.

"Yeah, I can _hardly_ wait Sarutobi-sama" Minato replied sarcastically.

The room was filled with a light chuckle at Minato's little joke. It was nice way to unwind after that botched mission.

"Well now, if you do not have anything else to report, Sarutobi-sama, you are free to leave." Minato said. "I need to discuss another mission with Kakashi. I hope your retirement goes well."

"Thank you very much, Minato-kun," Hiruzen said, casually referring to Minato for his heartfelt comments. "I wish you the best of luck in the future, and don't grow old too quickly!" With that, Hiruzen left the room, leaving only Kakashi and the Yondaime Hokage.

"Now then, before we get into business, I have an urgent announcement to make." Minato said, with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"I wonder what could it be, Hokage-sama." Kakashi asked.

"Now, no need to be too formal, Kakashi." Minato said. "When we are surrounded by people we like, you can call me whatever you feel like. I'm still getting used to this whole 'Hokage-sama' thing. It was really weird hearing it from Sarutobi-sama, and I don't want hear it all that often from you, Kakashi."

"Is 'sensei' better?" Kakashi asked.

"Whatever floats your boat." Minato shrugged. "Now then, the information I am about to give you is an S-rank secret. You are, under no circumstances to reveal it to anybody or anything, understood?"

"Loud and clear."

"Very well then." Minato said. "In light of the ill-fated news relating to the escape of Orochimaru, I am very, very proud to announce that I am going to be a father."

Kakashi was stunned silent. Minato-sensei, the happy-go-lucky, laidback and optimistic teacher is going to be a father.

"Wow sensei, that's fantastic!" Kakashi said. "When did you find out?"

"Just this morning actually." Minato said. "Kushina was very, very excited when she discovered it."

"Rin would be too…" Kakashi stated the fact, but got very solemn afterwards.

"Kakashi…" Minato said. It seemed that Kakashi was still dwelling on the past. It's going to take time for him to fully recover from the incident. "Kakashi…I want you to be my child's godfather."

"Wha…?" Kakashi asked in bewilderment. "I…I…that's too much, sensei!"

"Yes, if this is your response, I wonder what Jiraiya-sensei would be like when I break the news and ask him the million ryo question." Minato joked. "If not a godfather, I would at least like you to be a mentor to my child."

"It would be a great honor, Minato-sensei!" Kakashi said while bowing deeply.

"I can already see it now…" Minato said. "Wait, no…Kakashi, if my child starts wearing a mask because of you…"

Minato's killing intent spiked, causing Kakashi to flinch back. But seeing it as another joke, Kakashi chuckled nervously.

"With that tidbit out of the way, I have your next assignment." Minato said, getting serious all of a sudden.

"I am ready to receive whatever assignment you bring to me."

"You are aware of the current conflict going on in Amegakure, correct?" Minato asked.

"The civil war between the rebellion group 'Akatsuki' and the Ame government, led by Hanzō?" Kakashi asked. "Yeah, ANBU has many case files on that current conflict."

"Yes, well, Intelligence has reason to suspect that a member of the Konoha Council has conspired with Hanzō in the assassination of the leader of 'Akatsuki,' a person by the name of 'Yahiko.' We have eyewitness reports of ominous shinobi in masks were heading for the border between The Land of Fire and the Land of Storms."

"You want me to confirm if these reports are accurate?" Kakashi asked.

"Not precisely." Minato said. "Even if you do confirm their accuracy, there is nothing we can actually do about it, since it's been over a year since the death of Yahiko, following the end of the Third Shinobi World War. What I need you to do is-"

The door to the room was slammed open and abruptly. "Hokage-sama! We have very crucial news to report!"

"What is it, chuunin?" Minato asked the disrespectful chuunin. "I'm in the middle of an important mission briefing."

"Hokage-sama, its Uchiha Shisui!" The chuunin exclaimed. "He's awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!"

* * *

**Hey y'all!**

**Welcome to the second chapter of _Redemption_. This is by far, the toughest chapter I had ever had to write, EVER. Before we can get into the spin of things, time to check on Update 1 stats: 3 Reviews, 5 Followers, 6 Favorites, and 165 Views. Thanks a lot to everyone that showed interest in the First chapter, but things are going to get better from here on in.**

**So, Like I said before, this chapter was one of the most difficult to write in my life. The reason being was that canon interfered IMMENSELY when coming up with the plot behind this chapter. Originally, Yahiko was supposed to be alive, because Zetsu was supposed to have took his place in death. Zetsu's death would have triggered the rise of the Gedou Mazou, and Hanzou's army would have been decimated. Zetsu's final words would have been "Revive Madara," and Yahiko, as indebted to Zetsu, would have urged Nagato to revive Madara.**

**Now, the problem with this plot was that Yahiko dies at the end of the Third Shinobi World War. Black Zetsu's creation in this story is near the end of the Third Shinobi World War. In canon, Obito (disguised as Madara: FUCKING SPOILERS) and Zetsu meet up with the Ame Orphans before they form Akatsuki. Well, in my story, Obito's fucking dead. No meeting with the Ame Orphans before Yahiko's demise. So I had to scrap the entire plot and reform from the beginning. Then I had the thought: If Zetsu met with Nagato after Yahiko's death, and suddenly revealed the secrets of the Rinnegan, Nagato would be more inclined to listen! Just like in canon. So Zetsu is going with Nagato after all. Will Madara get rezzed? Stay tune to find out.**

**Danzou was more of a bitch. Orochimaru definitely assisted him in gaining Senju's cells in his arm. According to canon, Orochimaru implanted the Sharingan into Danzou during his stay in Konoha. Yet, if that were the case, why in the name of all the fucks did Orochimaru no swipe one from Danzou's unknowning mug? So I changed it up a bit and made it so that Orochimaru only injected the cells in exchange for the 100 research samples. Makes sense, totally fits, and works with the new plot I have in mind.**

**Oh, and Orochimaru has Obito's Sharingan. muhahahaha...MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**I hoped you guys like Yata. I also hope you guys like the fact that Shisui is now Obito's brother. Canon did not specify on relations other than Shisui's father Kagami, so I have more leeway to creating this shit as I go. Now, I have the perfect explanation for how Shisui obtains his Mangekyou. Gotta love cliffhangers.**

**I hoped you enjoyed the battle at the end. Orochimaru was merely playing around with Hiruzen. I did not have much to work with since, in the manga, the battle is just a splat of blood and everyone is on the floor, so I wanted to extend and elaborate on the confrontation. Also, this battle is not supposed to happen for another 3 years. Yet, in canon, Orochimaru says to Hiruzen "It's been more than 10 years..." Suck it Kishimoto! 1310 so I made the battle happen in the exact same year as Minato's rise to power. Thank goodness for a generalized timeline without specific dates and times.**

**Finally, the universe that I have envisioned is coming to fruition. I can see the future (and its not death, Zabuza) and I am looking forward to releasing the next chapter in what seems to be an epic coming your way.**

**I plan to change the title of this story soon. Expect a new title in the next update.**

**Apologies for missing the deadline, but I was working on _Finding Conviction_ and _Redemption _at the same time. I focused on one over the other.**

**Once again. If interested in editing my works, please PM me and we talk like Russians.**

**No questions for now, but thanks for reading!**

**See ya again next Monday for _True Paths to Power_ and next Wednesday for _Finding Conviction_. The next chapter for _Redemption _will be released on June 1, 2013.**

**-Blackrazgriz 5/16/2013 3:03PM EST**

* * *

**NOTE: Corrected Nohara Rin's spelling (7/4/2013 4:09PM EST)**


	3. Revelation

**Chapter 3: Revelation**

Uchiha Shisui was looking forward to returning home from his C-Rank escort mission to Kusagakure. It was a two week mission where Shisui and his team guarded a high profile civilian merchant from bandits and brigands on the road. Shisui took on this mission shortly after learning of the unfortunate news of his brother's demise. Obito's death rocked Shisui to the core. His charisma and positive energy was a major influence to Shisui following his father's death. He found himself looking up to Obito as a true role model, despite Obito's own faults as a ninja. Obito was actually pretty happy with the arrangement. Even though Shisui was treated as a prodigy, for his little brother to look up to the "failure" of the Uchiha clan caused Obito to push himself harder.

Now his father and older brother were dead. He wanted to rid himself of the depressing thoughts he was thinking, so he hoped this mission would assist in that. His best friend, 6 year old Uchiha Itachi, bid him farewell before the start of the mission. That farewell actually boosted Shisui's morale and the success of the mission made him almost completely overcome the grief of losing another loved one.

Now he was excited to go and see his mom again for the first time in 2 weeks. An 8 year old genin completing a C-rank mission was a rarity in Konoha. So Shisui was ecstatic about mentioning his achievement to his beloved mom.

Eagerly running up the steps to his meager home, Shisui knocked on his door three times. When there was no response, he knocked again. Still nothing.

An abominable stench was exuded from inside the home. Shisui's worry grew immensely. He knew his mom would never allow the home to smell. She was always a neat-freak and took pride in the cleanliness of her home.

Shisui ran around the house and entered through the backdoor. He only entered through the backdoor when he stood around with Itachi past the curfew. Now, it was urgent that he found out what happened to his mother. The living room seemed to be clean, not unusual considering his mom. The kitchen was also unsoiled and there was no odor coming from there. As he left the kitchen, he turned to check the main entrance.

Shisui gasped at the sight. Lying right in front of him was the decomposing corpse of his mother. She was completely pale and cold to the touch. There was a large stab wound in the middle of her chest, and maggots were already eating off of her flesh. Blood splotches were evident on the door and the walls of the entrance. Her body seemed to have been in this horrendous condition for several days. No one even knew what happened.

Tears began to well up within Shisui's eyes. 'M-mom…' he thought mortified.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! "

Shisui's cry of horror could be heard throughout the entire Clan Compound. People began to flock to his house, wondering what exactly was going on with the poor family. Everyone knew that Obito and Kagami were both dead, leaving an emotionally distraught Yata and her prodigal son alone to fend for themselves. People sent there sympathies towards Yata, but she was virtually inconsolable and refused to talk to anyone.

As the people gathered around Shisui's home, they too began to smell the heinous odor that was emanating from within. Being members of the Konoha Military Police, they already deduced that the smell was most likely the result of decomposition. Someone must have died in the house. But how did nobody hear about this recent death?

"Shisui, are you in there?" Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha clan, asked. He was with his wife, Uchiha Mikoto. Mikoto was 5 months pregnant with her second son, but she did not want her pregnancy to be an excuse to keep her from clan affairs, so she adamantly demanded to be brought along. She left Itachi behind in the house, afraid that something may have gone amiss during this last week.

Fugaku could hear the soft sobs of a young child from within the locked house. Taking the tears as his cue, and subsequently began to smash through the front door. Unfortunately, Yata was killed near the entrance of the home, so when Fugaku violently opened the door, he further deformed her body's corpse. The sight of Yata's corpse nauseated him, despite his experience as the clan head. It was nowhere near as gruesome as other deaths he had encountered in his life time, but the whole decomposition mess, along with the splattered blood all over the room made for a truly horrific scene.

Fugaku found Shisui lying on the ground in fetal position. The top of his shirt was soaked in his own tears. But what scared Fugaku the most was the blood running down his eyes. Unless the eye was physically damaged, it was not possible for anyone to cry blood.

Fugaku cleaned the blood off of Shisui's face and examined it closer. What he saw shocked him to the core. Shisui's Sharingan had morphed, transformed into a different shape. The tomoe had combined into shape resembling a four point shuriken. His pupils, normally black, turned into blood red, the same color as his irises.

If Shisui achieved what he thought he did, then he would be the third Uchiha in the history of his clan to awaken the legendary power Uchiha Madara once wielded. They could finally decipher the tablet left by the Rikudō Sennin and discover what instruction their great ancestor had in store for them.

Fugaku had waited so long for this moment. He thought that maybe his son, Itachi would unlock the Mangekyō Sharingan. Yet, the son of Kagami had achieved that feat first. It was fortunate that Itachi and Shisui were best friends; it made convincing the young Uchiha prodigy all the more easier. For now, he must console the poor young child after the death of his entire family. The Uchiha will catch who was behind this murder, just like they will the murder of those 5 unfortunate chuunin. Konoha will pay for its bigotry and its insolence.

* * *

_Caverns, Outskirts of Amegakure_

After a day of careful travelling, Konan and the mysterious Zetsu reached Nagato's cavern. It is here where the real body of Nagato, as well as the Gedō Mazō where located. The Gedō Mazō provided sustenance for Nagato, who was unable to travel far outside of his own body.

Because of the fragile nature of the real Nagato, his hiding spot was located in terrain that would otherwise be difficult to ascend. Between the valleys where the Rikutai River ran, there was a large opening. However, the valley had a flat edge, and humans can't easily climb or descend a 90 degree surface without facing some sort of danger. Nagato was a sensor type ninja as well, so he could feel the chakra of approaching shinobi, even without the assistance of Ukojizai no Jutsu. So even if a ninja were to somehow enter the cavern, they would be forced to engage in combat with a well-prepared Nagato. Just because he could not travel far, did not mean that he was incapable of battle.

"We're here." Konan said to Zetsu.

"*huff**huff*Damn…this journey…took much longer than I…expected…" White Zetsu said panting. "Damn, I think I'm gonna die *huff**huff*"

"**Just drop it. It wasn't even that tiring**." Black Zetsu said annoyed with the antics of his "brother." Black Zetsu, unlike his White counterpart was no in the slightest bit tired. To Konan, it was odd that the two could be so different, and yet they shared the same body. One half was completely fatigued from the travel, and the other was absolutely fine. That was weirder than the "multiple personality" Zetsu was exhibiting. Shouldn't both halves be equally fatigued?

This inquiry was unnecessary. Konan had a mission to accomplish. Nagato entrusted her with his life by bringing Zetsu over, and she won't let him down.

"So, uh, where we going from here?" White Zetsu asked.

"Do you see that large opening down near the base of the valley?" Konan asked.

"Yeah-" White Zetsu said before realizing the implications. "Oh no. Oh no I am NOT jumping down there. No way in hell. Sorry lady, I don't have a death wish. I'd like to live long enough to know what it's like to poop."

The last statement made Konan feel rather uncomfortable, but she held on and explained the opening to Zetsu.

"The entrance is a failsafe. Its purpose is to make sure that there are absolutely no attempts to assassinate Nagato at his most vulnerable. Only I am allowed near the cave, since Nagato trust no other chakra signatures other than my own."

"How do you get down there, lady? Fly?" White Zetsu chuckled. Of course, there is no possible way for a human to fly. White Zetsu loved to get a kick out of his own humor sometimes, and he struggled with everything he had to not roll over laughing.

Konan was not amused by Zetsu joke. Her entire body transformed into millions of sheets of papers, and several thousand collected together behind her to form a pair of magnificent wings.

"This is how I get down the ravine," Konan said, flexing her wings and releasing more sheets of paper.

"Wow. You must really be an angel, gorgeous." White Zetsu commented.

"**Ignore him.**" Black Zetsu replied. "**Are there any plants growing within the cave?**"

"Um…" Konan said in deep thought. "I…I believe so, at the entrance to the cave. Deeper there shouldn't be any plant life, considering that it's much more damp and dark. Why do you ask?"

"**I…I have a special ability that allows me to travel freely around the ground and respawn at any location where plant life grows.**" Black Zetsu answered. Konan caught on to his minor stumbled at the beginning of the sentence. Zetsu is hiding something from her. Well, it mattered not in the end, since Nagato will decide their fate in the end.

Using her majestic wings, Konan glided across the gorge. From the viewpoint of Zetsu, it can truly be said that Konan looked something like an angel, freely gliding in a way that appeared to look like flight. Zetsu would have been captivated by the sight, had he not have more important matters to attend to.

Konan landed in the cavern, near the bottom of the valley. She noticed some daisies growing at the edge of the entrance, confirming her suspicions. Truthfully, she didn't even know if there were any plants growing in the cave. She never even bothered to notice until recently, when Zetsu brought it up.

Speaking of Zetsu, he spontaneously appeared out of nowhere, next to the daisies that were growing at the edge. Konan marveled at Zetsu apparent instantaneous transportation. Such a useful technique could make Zetsu an amazing spy.

"Very well then." Konan said, masking her awe with a tone of solemnity. "Let us continue."

The cave was damp indeed. Creeks were flowing from without the cave and exiting through the opening, were it would join with the river and continue its journey towards a large pool of water. Bats occasionally flew out of their perches of stalagmites, trying to capture insects for their meal. The ambient sounds of cavern wildlife filled the air, and the echoes of footsteps made the two painfully aware of the near lifelessness of Nagato's domain.

After some time travelling, Konan and Zetsu reached a massive commons room. In the center of the room lied the gargantuan Gedō Mazō. It was sitting in the lotus position like a monk meditating on the complexities of life. The Gedō Mazō had 9 eyes, and all of the eyes were closed at the moment. It seemed as though Nagato did not understand the significance of the eyes, as he did not make any effort in opening the eyes at the moment. Not that it mattered to Zetsu. At this point, he's not supposed to know the _true _purpose of the Gedō Mazō. In fact, Nagato was not supposed to even know _how _to summon the Gedō Mazō in the first place.

At the absolute center of the large room, Nagato was connected to the Gedō Mazō through a series of black chakra rods. Madara had a similar method of assembly with the statue. He was also connected with Hashirama's living clone through a root, allowing him to make unique Zetsu clones whenever he desired. No such root existed in this cavern, since Hashirama's living clone was sealed off along with Madara's body, but the similarities between this cave and Madara's was becoming more and more apparent as Zetsu analyzed the cave more closely.

"You have arrived, Konan." Nagato spoke. He deliberately enhanced his voice using chakra, making it sound more regal and imposing.

Konan bowed before Nagato, a gesture she had grown accustomed to after Nagato vowed to become a god. "I have arrived with the VIP, Nagato-sama."

Nagato waited several moments for a response from Zetsu. When he received none, Konan knocked the Zetsu arm with her elbow, mutely telling him to bow before Nagato. Black Zetsu complied without complaint, but White Zetsu was vocal in his opinions.

"Aw c'mon!" White Zetsu complained. "Why do we gotta bow to this wannabe?"

Nagato raised an eyebrow to the _audacity _of the humanoid. He apparently did not know the position that he was in. Nagato was merely sparing his life on a whim, eager to gain information out of the oddity.

"**White, just be quiet.**" Black Zetsu told White Zetsu. "**From here on in, allow me to do the talking. I apologize for White's behavior. He gets...antsy when things take too long for his tastes.**"

"Very well then," Nagato said. He was more than willing to put up with the…obnoxious behavior of the plant creature. So long as he gets answers. "Now then, while you are here you better get to explaining."

"**Yes.**" Black Zetsu said. "**As we mentioned before, we are Zetsu. You can refer to me as Black Zetsu, or Black in short. I am a separate entity inhabiting the body of White Zetsu, or White for short.**"

"Why is it that you have two separate personalities, Zetsu?" Konan asked, taking her position next to her 'God.'

"**Originally White Zetsu existed as his own being. However, our master implanted his will onto this Zetsu. I was born as a result.**"

"Implanted his will?" Nagato asked. "Can that even be done? How is that possible?"

"**You know very little about the skills and abilities of our master.**" Black Zetsu explained. "**Our master has knowledge and skills that dwarf even your capabilities, Nagato-san.**"

"Do not call me Nagato." Nagato demanded. "You who know little about your situation. Consider yourself lucky I don't smite you now because of your blasphemy."

"Uh oh." White Zetsu said. "Sounds like somebody's suffering from a bit of 'God Complex!' Doctor, please prescribe to him 12 ounces of humility!"

"**I'd hate to admit it, but White Zetsu does have a point. It is you who should be considered lucky, Nagato-san.**"

Nagato was getting irritated at the nerve of Zetsu. Challenging God was equivalent to committing suicide. And how dare he address him familiarly?! Konan is the only individual worthy of calling Nagato 'Nagato.'

"I will repeat myself one last time. Do not refer to me as 'Nagato-san.' You will refer to me as Kami-sama." To emphasize the demand, Nagato spiked his chakra briefly. Combined with the chakra of the Gedō Mazō, the entire cavern began to tremble under the pressure of the Rinnegan's might. Zetsu began to worry; death was not a part of the plan to resurrect Madara. Zetsu needed to play his cards right, otherwise he would upset the delusional Uzumaki and be granted a one-way ticket to the Shinigami.

"**Very well then, Kami-sama.**" Zetsu addressed reluctantly.

"Really, no protests whatsoever?" White Zetsu asked. "Man, you would disappoint Madara-sama to no ends."

"**Shut up.**" Black Zetsu said. Apparently White Zetsu completely forgot the whole "I am Madara's Will" business.

"Is there dissent among your party?" Nagato asked.

"**No. It's just White being…White.**" Black Zetsu replied, for lack of a better description.

"If there is no dissent, then I suggest we continue. I have very little time to waste on idle bickering."

"**Understood. To make matters clear, concise, and to the point, the Rinnegan is not your birthright.**"

"…What?" Nagato asked at the bold proclamation.

"You have got to be bluffing, Zetsu." Konan said in a disbelieving tone. "That has to be a lie. Nagato has had the Rinnegan for as long as he could remember. There's no way that it's _not _his birthright."

"**The Rinnegan can only be reacquired through the unison of the 'Body' and 'Eyes' of the Rikudō Sennin.**" Zetsu explained. "**The Rinnegan was the first 'kekkei genkai' to have ever existed in the shinobi world. However, upon his deathbed, he split his power between his two sons. The youngest son acquired the 'Body,' or physical chakra, of the Rikudō Sennin, and the eldest son inherited the 'Eyes,' or the spiritual chakra of the Sage.**"

"Um, Zetsu-san…" Konan began.

"Yes darling?" White Zetsu responded. He was answered with a slap to the face.

"…Anyways…" Konan recomposed herself, but she had a faint blush on her cheeks. She was honestly getting tired of Zetsu's treatment of her. "Why are we learning about this? The Rikudō Sennin is nothing but a myth. Our master used to tell us all about his exploits when we readied ourselves for bed. There's no way that the Rikudō Sennin could have existed in reality."

"**You say that, yet 'Kami-sama' wields his kekkei genkai.**" Black Zetsu retorted. "**The Rikudō Sennin did exist in our world. Your Rinnegan and the Gedō Mazō are his legacy.**"

"The Gedō Mazō was the Rikudō Sennin's legacy?" Nagato asked, intrigued by the claims of the oddity.

"**My master has told me not to discuss the true purpose of the Gedō Mazō. He wishes to discuss it with you personally.**"

"If he wanted to discuss the Gedō Mazō with me, why did he not come himself?" Nagato asked irritated. He did not wish to speak to a messenger, especially not one as heretical as Zetsu.

"It's not that he 'didn't' want to bub, it's that he 'can't'" White clarified.

"Elaborate." Nagato demanded.

"**In due time, Kami-sama.**" Black replied. "**First, you must understand why the Rinnegan is not your birthright.**"

Nagato was getting agitated with all of the unanswered questions. Yet, he felt that he was getting closer to understanding his own background. Maybe the origins of the Rinnegan can help him find out who he really is.

"**On his deathbed, the Rikudō Sennin had chosen one of his sons to carry on his legacy as the successor to his name. After careful deliberation, he chose his youngest son as the heir to his title. The eldest son was not pleased with his father's decision, and he feuded with his brother to prove his superiority. From these two sons came the future clans that we know of this day and age.**"

Nagato was listening intently, withholding his judgment until the end of Zetsu's tale. Konan, on the other hand, was absolutely skeptical of this information. Certainly, the anomaly possessed information on the Rinnegan and the Gedō Mazō. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but find all of his assertions as nothing but a farce.

"**Two specific clans were the direct heirs of the son's ideals and powers. You know them as the Senju and the Uchiha**. **You, Nagato, are an Uzumaki. You are distantly related to the Senju, but you are not the direct descendant of the younger son. By extension, you cannot possibly have the Rinnegan through normal means.**"

"Through normal means…" Nagato whispered. Once again, Zetsu has insinuated that Nagato was an Uzumaki. Apparently, Uzumaki have long red hair and massive chakra reserves. Yet, if he was an Uzumaki and he could not obtain the Rinnegan, how is it that he is in possession of the legendary dōjutsu?

"**The Rinnegan can only be obtained through the unison of 'Body' and 'Eye.' That means that only through birth between an Uchiha and a Senju could the Rinnegan finally be obtained. However, my master had found a way to circumvent this problem. You know of the result of the battle between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara?**"

"Hashirama killed Madara during the battle, creating the Valley of the End." Nagato said. "Why is this important?"

"**Madara did not die during the battle.**" Black Zetsu merely said.

"…What?" Nagato said. Although he had no interest in these history lessons Zetsu was providing, the information he was gaining was just too unbelievable to ignore completely.

"Hashirama was weak bub," White Zetsu said. "He held back a lot during his final blow, completely missing vital organs. You know, for a so-called 'God of Shinobi,' Hashirama ain't as strong as legends put him out to be."

"**As White said, Hashirama severely held back in his final blow. Why? I do not know. All that I did know was that Madara-sama had survived their supposed 'final confrontation.' He gathered residual DNA from Hashirama and later incorporated it into his own body.**"

Nagato noticed how Zetsu referred to Madara as "Madara-sama." He needed to know the relationship between Zetsu and Madara.

"**When Madara-sama fused Hashirama's DNA onto his own, he gained the Mokuton kekkei genkai. Using Mokuton, he created a living, non-sentient clone of Senju Hashirama. From this clone, Madara give birth to us, Zetsu. That is why we refer to him as 'Madara-sama,' in case you were wondering.**"

"Yep! Madara-sama is dear old daddy!" White Zetsu exclaimed gleefully.

"**Near the end of his life, Madara-sama was finally able to gain the legendary kekkei genkai of the Rikudō Sennin. Through the fusion of Senju and Uchiha, he was finally able to combine the 'Body' and the 'Eyes' of the Sage and gain the Rinnegan.**"

Nagato was stunned by yet another seemingly unbelievable revelation. Yet, it would explain how Zetsu knew so much about the Rinnegan, considering that his master had unlocked it before Nagato did.

"**Using the power of the Rinnegan, Madara-sama was able to summon the Gedō Mazō from its prison in the moon and used its chakra as sustenance for a prolonged lifespan, much like you are right now. However, Madara-sama knew that his time was short, and that even with the Gedō Mazō providing him with life sustaining chakra, he would not have long to live. So he entrusted his Rinnegan to an unsuspecting orphan in the hopes that one day the orphan can full master the power gifted to him.**"

"No…There's no way…It's not possible…!" Nagato said in denial. Konan deduced Zetsu meaning as well, and she too could not believe what the creature was saying.

"That's right! Madara-sama entrusted his Rinnegan to you, Nagato-chan!"

Nagato couldn't utter a word. He was so shocked at the revelation that he practically could not hear the honorific that Zetsu referred to him as.

"**Madara-sama has been watching your family closely, Kami-sama.**" Black Zetsu said, getting into Nagato's familial background. "**A few years after the First Shinobi World War, the Nidaime Mizukage sent an invasion fleet onto the shores of Uzushiogakure. Uzushiogakure had grown steadily stronger as its alliance with Konohagakure strengthened. The shinobi of Uzushiogakure were adept with fuuinjutsu, and skirmishes with them were often one-sided, due to the advancements they gained from the seals they created.**"

Zetsu paused the telling of his tale to peer at the expressions of his listeners. Nagato was intently focused now, curious about the origins of his parents. Konan too was listening, but she appeared worried about Nagato's state of mind.

"**Uzushiogakure was growing too powerful at too fast of a rate for several of the Great Shinobi Nations. The relative distance of Uzushiogakure to Kirigakure also garnered some fears of potential invasions. So the Nidaime took it upon himself to nip the bud from its stem before it could bloom. Uzushiogakure was annihilated. Refugees were hunted down and killed in the largest purge ever seen in the shinobi world.**"

"**Your parents were fled far and away from the wreckage that was Uzushiogakure. Hanzō, at this time, had just recently founded the small village of Amegakure. Because his village was upstart and fresh, he urged the ninja world's most destitute to come to Ame. Your parents heeded his call and escaped to the slums of the village. They were not completely safe, however. They dyed their hair into different colors and hid their enormous chakra presence as much as possible. Through these efforts, they managed to avert the eyes of Kiri Death Squads for years. That is, until they gave birth to you.**"

"**Rumors of a rare red head child being born in Amegakure soon spread throughout the shinobi world. These rumors caught the attention of Madara-sama, who knew that only an Uzumaki or a Senju would be fully capable of utilizing the Rinnegan to its fullest potential. Unfortunately, the rumors had also spread all the way onto Kirigakure. The recently instated Sandaime Mizukage had sent two of the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Munashi Jinpachi and Kuriarare Kushimaru, to eradicate whatever was left of the Uzumaki. By the time Madara-sama had arrived at Amegakure, Jinpachi and Kushimaru had bought off Hanzō, starting propaganda campaigns to rout out you and your family.**"

Nagato shook his head. He couldn't possibly be the reason why his parents died…could he?

"**Kushimaru and Jinpachi found your family after a couple with orange hair disclosed their location. Your family struggled intensely to stop the Swordsmen, but they were out of practice for years. By the time Madara-sama found your whereabouts, the swordsmen had already brutally slaughtered your father, was delivering the finishing blow to your mother, and readying to kill you next. Madara-sama killed off the two Swordsmen with relative ease and rescued you. You were just a baby and could not comprehend a single thing that occurred during that day.**"

"**Madara buried the bodies of your parents near your home, under the shade of a weeping willow. If you cannot find my story to be truthful, I suggest you go and visit the grave of your mother and father.**"

Nagato knew that Zetsu was testing him. Zetsu must know that his stories seem too far-fetched to truly be believed by Nagato. But…deep down inside, something told Nagato that Zetsu was not lying.

"**Madara-sama then implanted his Rinnegan into you by shrinking them to fit your developing skull using intensive chakra. Madara-sama could not leave you alone, so he found a family living in the outskirts of Amegakure, away from the scandal and violence that defiled the impoverished village. They were more than happy to take you in, since your adoptive mother was impotent and could not have children of her own.**"

"Hey, Nagato-san, how is your family by the way? Madara-sama use to tell us that the family he entrusted the Rinnegan too was an extraordinary civilian couple."

Konan turned away. She know full and well what it was like to lose your family before your very eyes. But, according to Zetsu, Nagato lost his family _twice_, the first time he was completely unaware of but the second…

"My family is dead. Killed by the Konoha bastards who took everything away from me." Nagato said, talking to no one in particular. He stared blankly at the wall above him, trying to take in all of the revelations he was bombarded with. It was too much for him to handle all at once.

According to Zetsu, his parents were from Uzushiogakure, a village decimated because of their rising power. They were killed when Kirigakure attempted to finish off their genocide. Madara had saved his life when he was a child and entrusted him with the power of the Rinnegan. His parents were buried somewhere in Amegakure, under the watchful gaze of the weeping willow.

He stood silent for the moment, taking in everything he learned. His ultimate decision would stem from whether or not he believed in Zetsu's claims. Konan was worried beyond belief for Nagato, and she tried to ease him with her words.

"Nagato…" Konan began. "Nagato, you don't have to believe what Zetsu had just said. We don't know much about who he is or what his true purpose lie."

"Why don'cha go and ask them then?" White Zetsu suggested.

"Ask who?" Konan asked.

"**Your parents, Nagato.**" Black Zetsu elaborated.

"What? No, that's impossible!" Nagato screamed. "They're dead! How can I possibly talk to the dead."

"You know, for a self-proclaimed 'Kami-sama,' you don't think too far from the boundaries of nature, do ya?" White Zetsu commented.

"**White has a point.**" Black Zetsu said. "**It appears that you do not fully comprehend the true abilities of the Rinnegan**"

"What are you trying to say?" Konan asked. "Nagato has the ability to talk to the dead?"

"**No, not talk to the dead.**" Black Zetsu corrected. "**Revive the dead.**"

Nagato and Konan were at a loss for words. Revive the dead? That had to be a load of bullshit. There's no way that the dead can be revived. Zetsu was obviously reaching with this last statement…right?

"**With the Rinnegan, you have access to the Rikudō no Jutsu. You already subconsciously use one of the Six Paths, the Deva Path, as your primary avatar in Amegakure. But there is a Seventh Path, the Outer Path, that allows you control over life and death.**"

"Wait! There are Seven Paths? I can use more corpses as Avatars to spread my will?" Nagato asked curiously.

"**Yes. If you can trust me, I can provide you with more information about the Rikudō no Jutsu. It comes with a cost, however. A little exchange, if you may.**"

"What sort of exchange?" Nagato asked.

"**Allow me to finish explaining the Outer Path's abilities, first. As I mentioned before, the Outer Path has control over life and death itself. Unfortunately, the Outer Path does not have control over one's own life, as the Rikudō Sennin succumb to his own demise at the end of his life. However, the Outer Path does have control over the lives of other sentient creatures. You can bring back the dead using Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu. But it comes with a dire cost.**"

"What…cost?" Nagato asked.

"**Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu is a chakra exhaustive technique. It requires a massive amount of chakra to utilize. Madara-sama could not use the technique because it would automatically cost him his life. But you, on the other hand, are an Uzumaki. Uzumaki have unnaturally high chakra reserves, second only to that of the Senju. It's possible that you may survive using Rinne Tensei, but I cannot guarantee that you'll return to what you were before.**"

Nagato contemplated on the new information that Zetsu provided for him. There is a strong likelihood that Nagato could survive the use of Rinne Tensei. But the consequences are unforeseen and the risk is just too great. Yet, he needed to verify whether or not Zetsu information is accurate. He needed proof that the events that occurred, according to Zetsu, actually did happen. More importantly than that, he needed to know whether or not he can _actually _do Rinne Tensei. If this little experiment worked, Nagato could not think of the limitless possibilities that could be achieved. Yahiko could probably get a second chance at life…

"Take me…take me to where my parents are buried…"

* * *

_Graveyard, Konohagakure __no Sato_

A young man wearing full ANBU attire stood in front of the grave of one of his closest friends. He was feeling so many emotions as he stood there: regret, anguish, despair, loneliness, hopelessness, and anger. He wished that he was a better person, one that was able to truck through the ordeals of life without having to look back at his past mistakes. Yet, the faults he's committed continued to pile on top of him with every breath of life he took.

The person whose grave he stood in front of was the closest person to him in his life. Yet, he was responsible for that person's death. He wanted to protect her, as a promise to his best friend. Yet, his obsession with protecting her cost her life. He knew that events that transpired made her a threat to his village, yet he couldn't help but focus on the last promise he made to his best friend.

He stared at her grave, his brain scrambling to find words appropriate for this moment. Usually, he visited her grave as inspiration for an important decision he needed to make. He felt comfort in her "presence," and he felt that she needed to know everything that went on in his life. He knew that this sort of attachment to things and people long gone was not the best that the world could offer, but he truly felt at ease whenever he came to see her.

Today was an important day. His sensei's son was going to be born. If she was still alive, she would have been ecstatic about the news. She and his sensei's wife were very close. They often hang around together for some tea. They discuss the bickering between him and his best friend, and how their sensei would always resolve the conflicts with a bright smile on his face. They laughed at his best friend's perpetual lateness, and his healthy obsession with that certain orange book. They gossiped about her strong feelings for him, and how he was utterly oblivious to her advances.

Now, she would hear about her sensei's wife's most important day. Today, she would give birth to her first child.

As women, they would always talk about what it was like to have children. They winced at the pain of delivering and anticipated the miracle of life. They longed for the affection that only a child can bring to a parent. They wondered what life would be like as their children grew older and became more independent. They worried about their children's eventual self-assertion. They wanted to be proud as their children accomplished their life's goals. They wished to be there as the flames of progress was passed on from one generation to the next.

Now, only one of the two will get to experience the joys of being a parent. The man knew that she would be jealous of their sensei and his wife. But he also knew that she was too kind-hearted and considerate of a woman to allow such petty emotions to detach her from her joy at the coming events. Even though it was an S-ranked secret, he couldn't help but give her an update on the birth. She deserved it more than anyone else did.

"Heyya," He began. He chuckled a bit after realizing how banally he started of the conversation. It didn't matter to him; what did matter was the information he was about to reveal. He looked around, making sure that the graveyard was empty before he continued.

"This…it's all top secret but…sensei's child is being born later this week. The expected date of birth is October 10th, so we have only 5 more days left before the child enters our world. I know you would be excited about the birth. You and sensei's wife always talked about how much you guys wanted to have children. To be honest, I don't understand the whole obsession with 'parenthood' that women have. It's like they are genetically disposed to being excited about pregnancy and birth. But that's my own opinion."

He shifted his leg nervously around, trying to ease his rapidly beating heart and his heavy breathing. "I'm actually pretty excited myself. The child is going to be a part of a new generation of children, one that does not know the pain of warfare. Heh…if only we were born in the same era as the child, maybe you would still be here…" He gazed emptily at the grave in front of him. He knew that it was useless to think about things that could have been. But wishful thinking made him feel a little more at ease. It helped him keep himself together instead of breaking apart from the emotions he was feeling right now.

"I will be a part of the ANBU assigned with the task of protecting the cave where sensei's wife is being born. I'm going to be working with my 'eternal rival.' You remember that eccentric man, don't you? The person that kicked _his _ass in the Chuunin Exams a couple of years back? Yeah…him…It actually warms me a little that he hasn't changed one bit, despite the war we've fought and the losses we've gathered."

"I really wish you and him were here. I don't know how many times I apologize, but I feel like it's never enough." The young man's left eye began to irritate him under his hitai-ate, forcing him to rub it with his palm. "You aren't the only one I need to tell this information to. I have to tell Obito, as well. I'm sure he would want to know, too."

He left his lilies on the grave and turned away. "Goodbye…Rin…" He said as he walked away to his next objective.

* * *

_Caverns, Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato (Five Days Later)_

Hatake Kakashi stood guard in front of a massive cavern opening. He was one of 25 ANBU assigned to guard this entrance. Might Guy, although he was not a member of the ANBU, was also chosen to guard the cavern entrance. He was selected due to his immense skill in taijutsu and his astonishing speed.

Inside the cavern, Uzumaki Kushina underwent severe contractions that pained her intensely.

"OH GOD IT HUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSS SSSS!" Kushina screamed as the contractions began to more violently assault her body.

Kakashi could hear her screams of anguish from outside the cavern. Inwardly, he thanked whatever higher power made his gender male. He did not want to even think about the pain he could have felt when giving birth.

"How are you doing this wondrous afternoon Kakashi, my eternal rival?" Might Guy began, hoping that conversation would block out the cries of agony emanating from the cavern. He had the same exact thoughts as Kakashi when the contractions started.

"I'm alright, I guess." Kakashi answered. He would usually reply to Might Guy with an "Oh hi Guy, did you say something?" But he too wanted to rid himself of the nightmarish squeals.

"I'm glad you are enjoying your youth as much as I am!" Guy said with a gleaming smile.

"You do realize that we both are 14 years old right?" Kakashi verified. "We still have a long time to enjoy our youth before we start turning to dust."

"That's exactly the point, my eternal rival." Guy agreed. "Time flies by so fast, so we must appreciate our youth as frequently as possible while we still have the chance!"

"Well Guy, maybe if you calmed down a bit and tried to find someone as eccentric as you, maybe you could 'enjoy your youth' a little more." Kakashi said, implying that Guy should probably find a "significant other."

"You know what Kakashi, my eternal rival, that is not a bad idea. I shall find a protégé worthy of my tutelage. Maybe he, too, will someday have a rival who thinks he is as hip and as cool as you are!"

"I'm sorry Guy, could you repeat that? The birds were chirping so eloquently and I could not help but be mesmerized by their song." Kakashi said. Now was more than the appropriate time to use his signature phrase for Guy.

"Curse you Kakashi, my eternal rival, for your witty jokes a hip comebacks!" Guy screamed as he clenched his fist tightly into the air.

Kakashi suddenly felt multiple chakra signatures just suddenly vanish, piquing his curiosity. "Guy, you just felt that, didn't you?"

"Yeah Kakashi." Guy said seriously. He did not even refer to Kakashi as his "eternal rival." The atmosphere got heavy with anticipation as ANBU abruptly stop exerting their chakra presence. "Those were the presence of Chameleon and Monkey just now. I can't feel Dog, Bird, Rabbit, Boar, or Cat, either."

"What the hell is going on?" Kakashi asked, worriedly. Why were ANBU mysteriously slipping from the face of the earth? "Should we go check on their disappearances?"

"No Kakashi," Guy said calmly. "We need to make sure that Kushina-sama is undisturbed as she continues to give birth. The Yondaime entrusted us with this mission, and I am not about to fail it!"

Kakashi was still anxious. He did not want to leave his comrades to just simply die while they protected an objective that was deemed more important than their lives. He was not about to let any more people become just like Obito and Rin. He had failed them once; he will never fail anyone again.

"I'm still going to check on them." Kakashi said, pulling out a radio. "Alpha 6 this is Bravo 9. Can you read me, over?"

"-n't atta- -es throu- -elming-" Alpha 6 said in a message distorted by static. Afterwards, the message went completely blank, with nothing but static in the background.

"Dammit, Alpha 6 is down!" Kakashi said. "We need to provide them with back up."

"Kakashi!" Guy screamed. "I know it's hard for you but we can't just abandon our position! We have to stay here a-"

A sickening snap stopped Guy from finishing his sentence. His body fell on its knees, neck grotesquely twisted to the other side of its head, before the corpse fell flatly on the ground.

"Number 24." Guy's killer said. "You're last, Kakashi."

Kakashi jumped back several paces to gain some space between him and the masked stranger. He knew this would be a difficult battle, so he immediately lifted his hitai-ate above to his forehead, unveiling his signature Sharingan. The masked figure merely laughed.

"Heheheheheh…HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" He laughed maniacally. "You're going to try to fight me with the gift that I gave you? Ironic, isn't it…hahahahah!"

"No…no you did not give me this gift! The person that gave me this gift is dead! I saw him crushed with my own eyes!" Kakashi yelled in denial.

The masked man chuckled. He lifted his hands to his face and removed his mask in front of Kakashi. To Kakashi's horror, the man's face was very identical to _him_. His entire right side was covered in a horrendous scar. He had short, spiky black hair and his left eye was completely missing from its socket. He stared into Kakashi with his crimson Sharingan, eating away at whatever fighting spirit Kakashi had left in his will.

"No. It can't be…you're supposed to be dead!" Kakashi said.

The man put his mask back on. He stared indifferently into Kakashi's own Sharingan, as if he was trying to see himself.

"Well, I suppose you can say that I am dead. I'm no longer the man you once knew. Not after YOU KILLED HER!" The masked man accused.

"I didn't want to! She threw herself at my attack! And how did you know I ended her life?" Kakashi asked.

"Haven't you wondered why you are still alive? Who killed all those Kiri shinobi after you lost consciousness? I should have killed you myself!" The man screamed.

Kakashi couldn't handle it anymore. Going through three hand signs in blazing speeds, he instantly created a Chidori on his left hand and charged at the masked man.

"You're not him!" Kakashi screamed. "You're nothing but a ghost! You can't be him!" Kakashi thrust his palm at what should have been his heart. Instead, Kakashi went right through the masked man and crashed flat on his face, Chidori dissipating from his palm.

The masked man walked up to Kakashi and slapped him in the face. "Can a ghost slap you in the face?" The man asked. He proceeded to grab Kakashi by the throat and lift him into the air. Kakashi was surprised by the man's monstrous strength; he should have never been this powerful if he was the man he claimed to be. "Can a ghost make you feel physical pain?"

The man dislocated both of Kakashi's shoulders. Kakashi let out a bloodcurdling scream, deep in pain from having both of his arms dislocated. But the man was not done. He let go of Kakashi's neck and violently kicked him to the ground. Kakashi struggled to get up, but without use of his arms, he could do nothing but squirm in place. The man put his own wait on top of Kakashi, rendering him incapable of any further movement. He grabbed both of his calves and maliciously snapped them backwards.

"GYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Kakashi screamed as the pain of his knees being twisted horrifically seared through his spinal cord and into his brain. Kakashi was now unable to move any of his appendages and flailed weakly on the ground.

"I am no ghost, Kakashi. I am the real deal." The masked man said, standing up from his sitting position on top of Kakashi. He kicked Kakashi in the stomach multiple times, each kick progressively getting stronger and more harsh as he continued Kakashi's torment. He then stopped, crouch over to meet Kakashi in the eyes and grabbed Kakashi chin so that he would not look away.

"W…why…?" Kakashi muttered weakly. The masked man simply smashed Kakashi's face onto the ground.

"Why? Revenge, of course! I know the reason why she died, Kakashi. Why couldn't they protect her? Why did they only send you to rescue her? WHY DIDN'T THEY GIVE A FUCK ABOUT HER?! They are as much to blame for her death as you are, Kakashi. And so they will suffer." The masked man began to pace around triumphantly as if his plan was already in effect. "You know, I should thank you Kakashi. If you did not spill that valuable information at the graveyard, I could not have possibly known where and when Kushina was giving birth. Now, I'll have my hands on the Kyuubi no Kitsune. The final, necessary piece of my revenge is in place. Konoha will burn for what they did to her."

Kakashi's eyes widened as he realize the implications of the masked man's plan. He was going to extract the Kyuubi from Kushina and use it to annihilate Konoha. And it was all Kakashi's fault.

"NO!" Kakashi screamed. "No…she wouldn't want this! Stop it, think about what she would want you to do?"

"Shut up!" The man screamed, kicking Kakashi in his gut yet again. Kakashi spat out some blood from the force that the man used to inflict pain on Kakashi. "She's dead, Kakashi! Dead! You killed her; THEY KILLED HER!" He pointed in the general direction of Konoha. "They don't deserve to live. They robbed her of her chance of living, of finding happiness. And they did not give a damn. She shouldn't have died! Rin should have lived!"

He breathed heavily following his rant. He was passionate about his desire to destroy Konoha, and nothing would get in his way. "A world without Rin...isn't a world worth living in, Kakashi. I'll make everyone disappear...starting with Konoha..."

Kakashi noticed how the man's voiced choked at the mention of Rin's name. He was so filled with anger that he was beginning to sob. He took in some deep breaths to calm himself and turned to face Kakashi.

"I'm going to leave you alive." The masked man told Kakashi. "However, I'll be taking my 'gift' back, Kakashi. Don't worry though; I'll leave behind a portion of my chakra, connecting your optic nerve with mine. That way, you'll see the things that I see with the eye I once gave you. You'll see all of your comrades' die before you in a blazing inferno. You'll watch as everything you have worked so hard to protect get destroyed by the one you called your 'best friend.' Even as you squirm, helpless to protect your fellow shinobi, you'll be continuously haunted by the lingering memories of events you could have prevented if you had just…just protect her…Goodbye, Kakashi."

The masked man reached for Kakashi's face entered Kakashi's left eye socket. The pain was excruciating as the man pulled out Kakashi's Sharingan forcefully. Kakashi could do little to ease the tremendous pain he was feel. The only comfort he got was the warm blood oozing out of his now empty eye socket. From the masked man's perspective, the blood made it seem like Kakashi was crying. It ran down his cheeks and irritated his nose, and Kakashi could do nothing to stop his bloody tears.

When the masked man inserted the eye into his own left socket, Kakashi could see everything that he could see. He watched as the man's perspective changed, testing his new Sharingan. It was an awkward feeling, having half of the images being sent to your brain feature things you could see, and the other half being things that someone else saw. It was disorienting, but there was nothing that Kakashi could do about it, being "crippled," and all.

The masked man laughed maniacally before leaving the area in a distortion of space time. Then the images came flooding in. He saw how he…no the masked man stole Minato's baby from Kushina's hand. He saw the man extracting the Kyuubi no Kitsune from Kushina's naval area, and he watched mortified as Kushina slumped, seemingly dead. He saw the brief confrontation between Minato, who was shocked at the man behind the mask, and the man himself. He saw in horror as the man used his new Sharingan to forcibly rip Minato's legs from his body, leaving only a bloody stump on the ground. He saw the masked man crouch down, touching Minato's face affectionately, before thrusting a kunai inside his heart.

The scene then shift to the masked man on top of the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi launched condensed balls of pure chakra into Konohagakure no Sato. The debris of house and buildings exploding littered the air. The shinobi tried valiantly to halt the Kyuubi's progress, but their efforts were in vain. The Kyuubi crushed them like insects underneath the paw of a lion. The Kyuubi burst pulses of Katon chakra everywhere, leaving the wreckage to burn into nothingness. Finally, the Kyuubi launched the largest chakra ball it could muster onto the faces of the Hokage Monument, obliterating it instantly. All the while Kakashi could see the man's body shiver sporadically, as if he were laughing maniacally.

Kakashi could do nothing as he witnessed the events that were leading to the destruction of his beloved village. He stood there, in front of the cavern, next to the deceased corpse of his rival Guy, watching everything that the masked man did. Finally, he could not take it anymore, and pure salty tears streamed down his remaining eye. Tears that summed up his failures as a person. A lifetime of regret and anguish were all compacted into every drop that fell from his face. The tears eventually molded with the blood tears he shed earlier, and gathered around the very tip of his chin, dripping monotonously down to the earth below.

"No…" He muttered silently. "No…no…NO…! OBITOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

_Hatake Estate, Konohagakure no Sato_

Kakashi abruptly woke up, clutching tightly onto his sheets. He was perspiring profusely and there were tears running down both of his eyes. Instinctually, he felt his left eye, seeing if it was still there. When he felt that it was intact, he breathed a sigh of relief.

He looked at the calendar near his dresser drawer. According to the dream he had, the date was October 10th. Yet, it was February 28th, Almost 8 months before the time of his dreams.

Kakashi grabbed the nearest hand mirror he could find. It was difficult to see under the shine of the moonlight, but his left eye was definitely there, and it was not blood red like in his dream. He was staring back into his own dark-colored irises, another guarantee that the dream was not real. He wiped the tears from his eyes and grabbed the picture of Team Minato standing right next to his bed.

Obito had his goggles over his eyes and stared confidently at the camera with a senbon in his mouth. To Obito's left, Kakashi looked like he could care less about the photo and stared at the camera annoyed, as if he had better things to do. Below the two boys was Rin. Her face was barely able to get caught by the picture, but her genuine smile was the true gem. She looked so happy doing the victory sign with her fingers. Finally, there was Minato. He looked as though he just finish going through a hassle, like stopping a fight between Kakashi and Obito before the picture was taking. Still, his facial expression oddly fit with the rest of his team.

Kakashi could feel all the memories of days long gone rush into his head. He remembered perfectly now. He did not kill Rin; he saw her mutilated and raped corpse in the cavern near Kannabi Bridge. Obito was not crushed by a boulder; he was slashed in half and his eyes removed from his head. No, the dream did not occur. Far from it.

Kakashi felt his tears welling up inside once again. He did not hold back, though, and allowed them to wash through his face. The dream made him realize how much he really missed his teammates. It felt so weird, but the dream could have been events that may have taken place if he had not abandoned Obito for the successful completion of the mission. It felt…right for some odd reason, like it could truly have happened.

Kakashi put down his photo. Now was not the time for reminiscence. He still had an important mission to accomplish and tomorrow he will be briefed by Minato on the objectives of his mission. His mission briefing was delayed because of the news of Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan. But they will get back to the swing of things tomorrow morning.

Kakashi fell straight back to sleep. He was not plagued by a recurrence of the dream. Maybe, because he comforted himself with memories of things that occurred, his mind did not conjure "what if" speculations of things that could have been.

* * *

_Hokage Tower, Konohagakure no Sato (The Following Morning)_

Kakashi stood in front of the desk of the Yondaime Hokage. Before he left for his mission briefing, he made a quick stop to the graveyard to visit the graves of Obito and Rin. Visiting their graves always brought him a sense of comfort, especially after that horrifying nightmare the night before.

Minato was completing some paperwork approving for addition of a sparring dōjō to the Academy. He had ulterior motives for the construction of the dōjō; he wanted his soon-to-be child to have as much of a comfortable learning environment as possible when he or she entered the Academy. When he signed the bill, he called in for his secretary to transfer the bill over to the council for refinement and final approval. As soon as the secretary left, Minato gave Kakashi his undivided attention.

"ANBU, Hatake Kakashi reporting for duty, sir." Kakashi responded formally.

"Relax, Kakashi-kun." Minato said. "I already told you that you could drop the formalities when you and me are alone."

"I'm sorry, Minato-sensei." Kakashi said. "It's…uh…force of habit, I guess?"

Minato laughed. "I guess old habits die hard, isn't that right Kakashi-kun."

"I sincerely wish to change though, Minato-sensei." Kakashi said. "I don't want to lose anyone anymore because I focused too heavily on the mission…"

"And I can see that." Minato said with a smile. "You know, changing yourself isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when you want to change yourself to rectify a fault that you recognize. I'm proud of your attempts, Kakashi-kun."

"Minato-sensei…"

"But enough of the idle conversation. We have an important mission briefing to discuss." Minato said, changing his demeanor into "Hokage-mode." It was like he had an internal switch that changed his personality whenever it was deemed necessary.

"Yes, Minato-sensei."

"Originally, this was supposed to be an S-ranked mission requiring the use of your ANBU outfit, but because of…recent events, we are downgrading it somewhat." Minato pushed a button underneath his desk, and a voice was generated.

"Yes Hokage-sama?" the voice, sounding like the secretary, asked.

"Bring him in." Minato said.

"At once, Hokage-sama." The secretary said. The door opened and a young boy who could be no older than 8 years old entered the room. He had disheveled hair and wore a dark, high collared shirt with the famous red and white uchiwa plastered on the top right breast of his shirt. He wore calf length cargo pants, with bandages tightening his left thigh. He had a sheathed tanto on the right side of his back.

"Kakashi, this is Uchiha Shisui. He will be accompanying you, by request of the Uchiha clan, to your mission."

"But…but Minato-sensei!" Kakashi said bewildered. He forgot that he was no longer alone and could not refer to Minato in such an informal way, but he couldn't care less. "Minato-sensei, he's just a child, no more than 8! And this is an S-rank mission!"

Minato sighed. "I know, Kakashi. However, given the prestige of the Uchiha clan, the boy's prodigal abilities, and his latent abilities with the Sharingan, he was more than fitting to be a part of this mission. Personally, I was against it, but Fugaku put up some very valid point about giving the lad actual combat experience instead of wasting his talents with lackadaisical B- and C-rank missions."

"But still-" Kakashi said, but he was interrupted by a high-pitched voice.

"Do you think of me as weak?" Shisui said. Kakashi turned to look at him and saw his three tomoe Sharingan spinning violently, as if reflecting his strong opinions and desires. "If you do, you'll be sadly mistaken!"

"Kid, I don't think of you as weak," Kakashi said. "It's just that-"

"Then don't imply it!" Shisui screamed. "Just cuz you're a little older than me doesn't mean you're better!"

For a second, Kakashi could have sworn he saw a silhouette of Obito masking Shisui's face. The kid was nearly as stubborn and brash as Obito once was.

"I am a jounin. I rank higher than you, Shisui-san. Do not think that your 'prodigal' status can make up for the sheer amount of experience I have against you."

"Enough of the bickering!" Minato shouted lowly, stunning the two children silent. "Kakashi, Shisui is coming with you whether you like it or not. And Shisui, you need to respect your superior officers. Insubordination is a felony that is punishable by death. As an adult in the eyes of the village, you should know better than to talk back to people that rank higher than you."

Minato's speech shut the two kids up. Kakashi hasn't seen Minato lose his cool in a while, and Shisui was afraid of talking back again, now that he knows full and well the consequences of his actions.

"Excellent. Now we can proceed with the mission briefing." Minato said, going back to "Hokage-mode." "As we have stated before, we have reason to believe that Shimura Danzō, head councilmember of the Konoha Council, conspired with Hanzō, the leader of Amegakure in the assassination of Yahiko, the former leader of the rebel group 'Akatsuki.' The assassination occurred several months ago, at the closure of the Third Shinobi World War. An old war hawk like Danzō would make sure to eliminate any and all evidence of his participation with said event, so we are not looking for concrete proof of his engagement."

"What exactly would we be doing in Amegakure then, Minato-sensei?" Kakashi asked.

"There are rumors that the rebellion is still going strong in Ame. Your assignment is to rendezvous with the leaders of the rebel faction and provide whatever assistance is necessary for their successful uprising."

Kakashi and Shisui were shocked. "You…you want us to assist in the take down of a hidden village?"

"Discreetly. You are not allowed to display your Konoha hitai-ate at all throughout this mission; only to the leaders of the rebel faction. We cannot allow any of the major Shinobi Villages to know that we provided a hand in the overthrow of a village. That's why it's only going to be you two. Shisui, there will be battles fought in the frontlines of Ame's civil war. Are you ready to risk your life for another, unsung purpose?"

Shisui stood proud and tall. "Yes, Hokage-sama. My brother would do the same."

Minato smiled. He knew that Kakashi did not know Shisui's family. It will be shocking for him when he finds out that he was partnered with Obito's kid brother. He knew that Kakashi would be outraged when they returned to Konoha, but Kakashi needed to break out of the social barrier he raised on himself. It was necessary for moving on from Obito's and Rin's death.

"Excellent. You are to leave Konoha under the cloak of darkness at 0200 hours. Make sure nobody knows that you have left the village; we cannot compromise this mission to Danzō or anybody else in the Council. Only myself, you two, and Uchiha Fugaku know of this mission. This mission has been listed as a classic C-rank Border Patrol to the outskirts of the Land of Hot Water. Kakashi-kun, Shisui-san."

Both of the shinobi stood straight, attentive to the words of Minato. Minato's briefings were clear and coherent, and there was no need to repeat anything. The two knew the mission parameters and were briefed on the sheer importance of secrecy that this mission entailed. It was Shisui's first foray into S-rank missions, and he was merely a genin. Yet, he exceeded Minato's expectations tremendously, not like Obito, his older brother. Minato enjoyed Obito's presence and was truly inspired by the life he would bring to his group. But Obito's perpetual lateness and rash oversight would have made him a liability for this particular mission. Alas, there was only one thing left to say to the two shinobi before they left to unknown territories.

"Good luck, and don't die."

* * *

**Hey y'all!**

**I've manage to complete the third chapter of this story and things are looking up! Just a recap of events that occurred.**

**-Shisui returns to discover the rotting remains of his mother, awakening his Mangekyou in the process**

**-Fugaku realizes that Shisui awakened the Mangekyou and begins to put his plans into motion**

**-Zetsu arrives at Nagato's Cavern and begins disclosing Nagato's past and the secrets of the Rinnegan to him**

**-Nagato resolves to visit his parent's graves under the weeping willow**

**-Kakashi dreams about events that occurred in canon (except that he was more involved with the birth of Naruto)**

**-Kakashi and Shisui are briefed and sent on a mission to provide support for Akatsuki in their bid to defeat Hanzou.**

**Wow. Shit is picking up in this series. And we are only at the third chapter! I can't wait until we finally reach the canon timeline and things start _really_ diverting.**

**I have decided to rename this story from _Redemption _to _Release from Pain_. The reason being is that several characters in the story are going to try really, really hard to push their harsh past behind them and work towards their future. Besides, it does not sound as cliched as "_Redemption_"right? Right?**

**So a couple of things. Firstly, Nagato's background. There is relatively little information on Nagato's background. Hell, we don't even know how _old _he is. As a result, I actually have leeway in creating Nagato's past. Two things needed to remain constant though: Madara giving Nagato his Rinnegan and Nagato's "parents" being killed by Konoha shinobi. And that I did.**

**In this story, Nagato's parents are refugees from Uzushiogakure, which was annihilated after the looming threat of Fuuinjutsu frightened the major Shinobi Nations. Sticking with the established fact that Kirigakure was always a bloodthristy nation, I decided that the refugees were hunted down and slaughtered in the greatest manhunts of history, similar to the Spanish Inquisition, except that there was no trials and that all Uzumaki were indiscriminately killed upon finding.**

**The history of Uzushiogakure was very iffy for me. There is no established date for its demise, and the only hint I got was that Kushina was sent from Uzushio to Konoha at a very early age. This meant that Uzushio existed at least 25-30 years before the Nine Tails Attack. The wars have no established timelines either, with the sole exception of the Third Shinobi World War. Uzushio could not have possibly been annihilated at the First Shinobi World War, because that was when Hiruzen was announced the Sandaime Hokage. It damn well could not have been destroyed at the Second Shinobi World War because Nagato was about 6-10 years old (probably older) during the battle between the Sannin and Hanzou of the Salamander.**

**There was a 20 year gap between the First and Second Shinobi World War. So I made the destruction a preemptive invasion by Kirigakure 10 years after the end of the First Shinobi World War. It makes a little sense that it was destroyed in a skirmish rather than some random unofficial war, so that will be fanon for my story. I hope everyone can agree with this history of Uzushio.**

**Because Kakashi was sent to guard the cavern in which Kushina was giving birth, there were MAJOR changes in that event (even if it was a dream). 14 year old Obito, burning with hatred and scorn for Konoha, reveals himself to Kakashi and takes back his Sharingan, becoming complete. With both versions of Kamui, he easily overwhelms Minato by sending half of his body to another dimension and personally killing him with a kunai. He has unrestrained access to the destruction of Konoha and nobody could do anything about it. After all, he has Senju DNA in his body, severely reducing the amount of chakra stress the Mangekyou causes on the body. With completed Kamui, Hashirama's cells, and the power of the Kyuubi, nobody could stop Obito in his obliteration. Sounds like this could be a separate fan fiction, if anyone was interested or if the idea already exist. !Godlike Obito FTW.**

** I really, REALLY want to get to the canon timeline already. I have plans for an OC that I want to implement badly, but first I need to go through character development for Kakashi, Shisui, Minato, Nagato, Danzou and eventually Itachi before the spice of the story can heat things up. I'm sorry OC, you'll have to wait :'( - my first emoticon written in an author's note.**

**Stats for Update #2: 4 Reviews, 14 Favorites, 16 Follows and 543 Views. Not bad, I hope to see more people interested in this dynamic story.**

**No questions for this update either. I still hope you guys enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it.**

**Remember, Tuesday updates for _True Paths to Power _now, Thursday updates for _Finding Conviction_, and June 15th for _Release from Pain. _Thanks again for reading my story, and I hope you all have a wonderful 2 weeks coming!**

**-Blackrazgriz 6/1/2013 3:29PM EST**


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